Lobby Thoughts #25

I do not believe in coincidence, but I do believe in Synchronicity.

On occasion I will be speaking with a client or visitor outside the lobby. We may be discussing the state of the nation, humanity or the weather. At least once a month some busybody will stop about 5-10 steps away, stare at us for 10 seconds and call out: "Why are you talking to that man! Leave him alone! You have no right to harass citizens! He didn't do anything!"
We slowly turn to stare. WTF?, Please take your meds.

Once I  was interviewing a suspicious man, seen carefully looking into parked cars. I surmised he was not trying to decide upon a new interior for his car.
While speaking with him, a citizen walked between us to say archly: "Why did you stop this man." I whispered "I thought he was the psychotic murderer the police were looking for." Funny thing, they left immediately. I wonder why.

Yes, all security guards must be watched carefully or we would be soon swinging our batons at random passersby.

I mentioned to one 'street corner talking' conversational partner the Einstein quote, IIRC-AIPD (If I Recall Correctly-And I Probably Don't), about the reporter who asked him how he could possibly talk to "regular people". Upon looking at the reporter for a second he is alleged to have said something like: 'I speak to the most intelligent about relativity and quantum mechanics, to the average person about education and government and to the slowest, about sports." The reporter silently nods knowingly, Einstein then says to the reporter: "How about them Mets?"
Now my supervisor drives up 1 minute later, says to me" Hello, how's it going?" I say; "Fine" and then he asks me "How about them Raiders?" He didn't understand why we appeared to be stifling laughter!


Some people look like they're about to have a heart attack when I walk up to them in uniform. Such folks, being fearful of Security Guards, sometimes it is necessary to start a conversation with "Hi, there is no problem and you are not in any trouble. I just wanted to mention...."

H.A.L.T.: I was speaking to someone today who told me about one way Narcotics Anonymous taught ex-druggies to deal with stress in life. To first self-check to see if they were feeling Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired. Triggers for recurrence of drug abuse. Helpful in not getting fired too, if we can see these things and keep from letting them help us say or do something we will regret.

Similarly there is a very powerful Thereavadin Buddhist meditation technique called Satipatthana or Mindfulness. This practice can lead to a thoughtful pause before one shoots oneself in the foot with bosses, fellow guards and clients.They say it can also lead to madness and paralysis!