I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before but the other business in our building (along with ourselves and the gym) is a driving school. A jungle-themed driving school. We are in and out of there a lot lately because, for some odd reason, our AC is controlled by a thermostat in their space (don’t get me started on that particular subject). It’s a large space that they mostly keep dimly lit with camouflaged fabric draped down from the ceiling and black lights for ambiance (or something). It’s a little freaky to walk into in the dark. At lunch Monday, my coworker and I decided we needed some chips to go with our pulled pork sandwiches so we decided to go check out the driving school’s vending machine options. We walk into the darkened space and I’m slightly in front; as we approach the vending machine I notice an animal which causes me to jump and maybe swear.
It is, of course, just a statue of a black panther but my first thought is NOT, “That’s obviously not real because why would there be a black panther in a building in Michigan” but instead I think, “That’s an awfully small black panther.” Really, Michelle, that’s the only thing wrong with this scenario? Not that it’s not real but that it’s too small.
Also, I’d like to say that I’m glad there wasn’t a class in there at that moment for so many reasons. I’ve realized that no matter how old I am, when faced with a room full of unfamiliar teenagers, I’m always going to feel anxious. Why is that? I’m a confident business woman (who admittedly hates public speaking), who can handle herself with a room full of adults or children (not that I’m ever in a room filled with toddlers for my job) but put a room full of teenagers in front of me and I’ll say, “No thanks, I pass.” I’m quite certain I’m not at all cool enough to pull off a successful interaction with a group of teens, that’s just the truth of the matter. I’d much rather be in a room filled with smaller-than-normal black panther statues (though not squirrels – those are too disturbing).
ememby 