Unwanted Long-Windedness

I inherited my father’s gift of being able to make small talk with anyone. Curiosity about other people is a strong gene. I am happy to learn where people are from, what they do, how long they have been doing it and what they would rather be doing.

Today I met my match in the most inconvenient of places. As it was a free day for me I scheduled my mammogram. The tech was right on schedule, which was a bonus. I put on the requisite half hospital top opening in the front and was ushered into the squishing room.

The tech was a friendly woman. I learned about her one hour commute, her daughter’s educational history, current job, seven year boyfriend since high school, her scientist husband all while standing half naked.

This scenario is one where I would normally not interview the person I was in the room with, hoping to shorten my naked time. The tech, who also volunteered her ADHD diagnosis, talked my ear off as I was holding my breath with my breast pinched between two giant lucite panels.

For once I was wishing for an introvert as the pressed flesh throbbed as she told me her story. It did feel like I was clamped in longer than I needed to be just so she could finish her tale and release me.

I am certain techs feel like small talk takes away the awkwardness. Honestly I could care less about the nakedness, but the clamping pain being shorter is all I want. Just for fun I also scheduled my colonoscopy today.