Just passing a work colleague in the hall, he said "Morning," I said, "Hey, mah man."
Now, I'd meant to say simply: "Hey, man" - but I stammered a bit, and it came out sounding a like a sort of funk soul "My Man" only very evenly stated - in a tone more matter-of-fact, rather than all exaggerated put-on act like you might expect: "My Mannnn!" But despite (or because of?) the subdued delivery, the difference wrought by that simple "mah man" was noticeable. He visibly brightened from that unexpected tinge of warmth!
I don't know how I feel about that intellectually - but I do know it made me feel good to brighten someone's day. The situation isn't without its complications and conflicts. I'm not really the kind of guy to go around "My Man"-ing people, and I don't want to set up that kind of expectation. In addition, the fact that it all stemmed from a mistake, from an unintended slip and not from a deliberate expression of comraderie, makes me feel a bit false about the whole thing.
But it did make me feel good. It was what I wanted to do, even if I didn't technically want to do it. So I'll just say, sometimes my tongue knows what my heart wants better than my mind does, and leave it at that.
Now, I'd meant to say simply: "Hey, man" - but I stammered a bit, and it came out sounding a like a sort of funk soul "My Man" only very evenly stated - in a tone more matter-of-fact, rather than all exaggerated put-on act like you might expect: "My Mannnn!" But despite (or because of?) the subdued delivery, the difference wrought by that simple "mah man" was noticeable. He visibly brightened from that unexpected tinge of warmth!
I don't know how I feel about that intellectually - but I do know it made me feel good to brighten someone's day. The situation isn't without its complications and conflicts. I'm not really the kind of guy to go around "My Man"-ing people, and I don't want to set up that kind of expectation. In addition, the fact that it all stemmed from a mistake, from an unintended slip and not from a deliberate expression of comraderie, makes me feel a bit false about the whole thing.
But it did make me feel good. It was what I wanted to do, even if I didn't technically want to do it. So I'll just say, sometimes my tongue knows what my heart wants better than my mind does, and leave it at that.
Comments