I’m very easy to talk to. Like my mom and my sister, people
seem to naturally open up about things EVEN IF THEY WEREN’T ASKED!
I remember when I was young and my family went places (like
Palisades Amusement Park in NJ – oops, I guess I AM that old!) my dad would
take my sister and me on rides while my mom (who was disabled) would take a
seat on a bench and wait for our return. Invariably we would come walking back
to find a small crowd around my mother and just talking, it was almost like she
was holding court, LOL. Others who weren’t interested in going on the rides
gravitated to her and simply TALKED, they would always turn to my dad and
praise my mom saying that they hadn’t enjoyed conversations like that before.
This seems to be a talent that both
of her daughters inherited.
I’ve found on occasion that being easy to talk to is
sometimes a blessing and sometimes a curse. Don’t get me wrong, as anyone who
knows me can tell you, I do love to talk and I pretty much will talk about anything.
Sometimes the folks talking to me also seem to want to talk about anything and
sometimes it’s things I really don’t want to hear about! As a reporter interviewing
a subject I’ve heard about exploits and secrets and I’ve actually turned to
more than one person and asked “Would you prefer I don’t put that in the
article?” It seems that most don’t even realize how much they’ve told me.
When friends and acquaintances have approached me because they
“need to talk” I’ve been told secrets that they certainly don’t want anyone
else to hear; I don’t ask to be told these things and even remind most that
some things they should keep to themselves. I’m proud to say I haven’t spilled
the beans on anyone yet! I’ve heard tales that would certainly have ramifications
and cause a lot of family arguments. While I don’t think any of these secrets
could be considered criminal, some have been whoppers and would definitely break
families and a few even might cost some a job. Tempting though it may be to
include of few of these tales, with names and circumstances changed to protect
the “innocent”, I haven’t even included these tales in my fiction writing.
Yes, I like to think people enjoy speaking with me, but there
is a drawback. A FEW of these people who have told me their secrets have become
embarrassed thinking that they would be “caught” in their lies — as I said, I
don’t tell others — but I imagine a few of them do worry, some even become a
bit paranoid. And thus the drawback.
Please know, I would only break your confidences if it kept
you from harm or harming someone else — otherwise, my lips are sealed.
