THE ART OF BODY LANGUAGE

The look. I don't get it. What is the short order cook/ soda jerk/entrepreneur looking at in this cover form Post magazine August 24, 1954? And why is looking with one eye shut?

But then again, I never was much at reading what others wanted or didn't want from me. As a child it resulted in spankings. Oh, yes, I grew up in a family where spanking was in vogue. Fortunately, I got far fewer than I ever deserved. Mine were of the last resort kind, the "this is going to hurt me more than it will hurt you" kind.

As I got older, I could not discern if a girl was interested in me or not. Unless she sent a friend to ask if I was interested in her. Which never happened as much as I liked. At times, I not only don't understand body language today, I must not listen very well. I miss cues when my wife tells me she likes something. A recent necklace purchase is an example. She told me she liked this necklace that played "Amazing Grace". Well, she reads my blog, she knows that the best song all-time, but I just blew it off. She even told our daughter about the necklace. Who happened to relay it to me.

And I went out right away and purchased it for my wife, right. Nope. I didn't know what she was talking about or where she had seen it originally. Did I inquire, go on-line, or return a call to CAQ to find out which necklace it was? None of the above would be the correct answer.

The necklace came in the mail last week. From Christian Books (imagine that--we only get their catalogs every week or so and have ordered many books and other sundry items from them). I just made my wife cringe by using sundry--a pet peeve word to her. But that's just my backhanded way of letting her see that I do listen. Once in awhile.

Now about body language and that scowl...