Monday, October 4, 2010

Scary Stuff: Being the Newbie

Pumpkin Heads by Wendell Minor

What if you're the new kid on the block?
Now that's scary stuff.


PJ and Benji

Baby PJ leads a quiet life, being the only kid at his house. Benji's from out of town, similar background. Tonight they hung out together and discovered they had some things in common. They're both wary of strange women.


Girls that travel in packs scare them.


So do princesses in low-cut gowns,


Chics with come-hither eyes,


Boisterous crowds,


And anything that looks suspicious.
What about you?


Have you been the newbie?
The one everybody looks at?



The odd man out?

I live in an apartment building where newbies arrive on a daily basis. Some have a knack for fitting in fast. They look right at me and smile, introduce themselves, and they're not offended the next time when I don't remember their name. They say things like "Are you off work today?" or "I just finished that book," or "In Seattle it never gets this hot," to start a conversation and let me know they're willing to visit a minute. They notice my dry-cleaning, or my loaf of bread, or my pedicure flip-flops and ask where they should go, and they look for folks who do what they do.

"Do you know anybody who plays dominoes?"
or


"Does anyone want to show me their scrapbook?



Being the new kid is scary stuff.
Sometimes you just need someone to stand next to.
Jake's a newbie in his school this year,
so he knows what it's like when you need a new friend.

Do you have any suggestions?



4 comments:

Diane said...

I think I was born talking. I'm a talker from as far back as I can remember, but when I'm new, I'm tongue-tied, and can't think of a thing to say. It is pure terrified torture. I just have to gird up my loins, so to speak, and be brave and comment, much like your newbies in your apartment. Then I just hope for the best.

Grandma Shelley said...

I moved to a new area just five years ago. I was 50 and I still felt like a new kid on the block.

I was asked to serve as one of the leaders for a large organization.

I arrived to my first meeting and took my seat around a huge conference table. I didn't know anyone.

When the meeting began the agenda was to plan a three day youth conference for 200 plus teenagers.

This was right up my alley. The topic and assignment was very comfortable but being the newbie was not.

So, I sat back and just listened for a bit. It became very clear that my leadership as an event planner was needed to help move the meeting along. So, I spoke up and got to work. By the time the actual event rolled around three months later I had made dozens of new friends and I felt like one of them.

the wrath of khandrea said...

bribery is really effective.

Jake said...

I love Luke in his undies...