In my area, I am labeled an 'active apostate', among other things I am sure. I live in a very small town, and bump into elders who hate me beyond words. If they could, I am sure they would gladly stone me before the entire villiage while chanting 'Apostate, apostate.'
There is one elder that I continually run into, as he is a department manager at the local grocery store. He has typically found novel ways to avoid making eye contact [or worse] with me. On more than one occasion he has spotted me, ducked behind a cartful of meat or produce and hid behind it as he made a cottontail dash for the store room to hide until I left the store.
Well, this week, while shopping I happened into the men's room at the same time he was there. He was just making his way to the sink to wash his hands when I entered the room. It was just he and I - face to face. I just kept walking toward the urinal and over the stall I heard him washing his hands. I kept thnking it was taking him a very long time to wash up, and then I heard him drying them, also taking a very long time. Finally, I emerged from the stall to see him looking directly in my direction. He said " Jeff, I just wanted to ask you if you are planning on ever coming back?" No hello, how is the family, oh by the way sorry to hear of your dead mother and brother and mother in law. Or even, nice to see you are still alive. Or, how have you been in these past 10 years? Just business as usual. Are you coming back?
I just told him 'No, never."
We both nodded and he rabbitted to the exit.
What assholes. Status is all that matters. His status first of all, making sure he 'approached' me in a place no one could ever see. And my 'status' with the organization.
Real relationships just don't exist for these zombies.
Jeff