A tiny light in her brain could explain her unusual interest. Paul Goldfinger photo. Rumson, NJ. Summer 2016. ©
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor @Blogfinger
Scene: Checkout line at Wegmans. A young female worker, high school age, was gamely trying to place a variety of objects into bags. She seemed to be determined to fit every item into just the right place, sort of like a jigsaw puzzle. I watched her intensity as she forged ahead with her task. At times she would remove something and rearrange the packing.
It actually was complicated if someone could translate the process into a blackboard full of mathematical equations. As she packed the bags I put them into a small cart which was a challenge, requiring a switch to a giant cart. Eileen said that she only needed a “few things.” Sure.
I was fascinated by the checker’s job and I said to her:
Me: You must be really good at jigsaw puzzles.
She: Not really
Me: Oh..so what are you really good at?
She: Untying knots.
Me: laughing—you’re serious.
She: (smiling) Yes—I love to untie knots, like the one around your neck. (She was referring to the small items I wear on a chain. They had become tangled.)
Me: Oh, that is unusual and it is funny. (Wondering—how does she keep busy pursuing what she loves?)
She: (As Eileen finished paying the bill) Have a good day.
Me: I was thinking that she needs to find another avocation. Surely she has some other favorite things.
JEWEL: