Thursday, August 02, 2007

Am I the only one who thinks...

If you are invited into a persons house that you don't know, you should wait to be invited into other part of the house as well? Or do people think that once you are in the house, it's a full invite? Just curious. Really.

Maybe I'm the one with the skewed sensibilities.

Normally I don't invite random neighbors in. But I did today. I have a little entry way, and expected to converse in that area. She was trying to poach our painting contractor. Which isn't that unusual. We do it all the time.

Though, when I went to get to get the color chart we used on the house, I found her roaming around in another part of the house.

Personally.. I wait for specific instructions on where I can go in someones house I've never met. But that is just me.

This is the thing. My house is rather non-traditional. There is a ton of shit in my house I don't want people I'm not familiar with to see. Taken out of context - its looks creepy and bizarre.

For instance - if we are having a bunny emergency, I might have syringes with needles visible. A bunch of them. Sometimes its like a full blown vet hospital in here. Most of the time I have it all put away.. but sometimes not.

People I know, not a big deal. People I don't know, may think we are junkies. At the very least it's cause for a mental notation. For instance Mr S. told me when his mother visited one time she was alarmed we might have some horrible illness. It was just the bunnies.

Given an explanation - all this interesting stuff is really anti-climactic. But I don't expect to have to give random neighbors explanations. Especially when I'm just trying to be nice by inviting them in, instead of having a long conversation at the front door.

I also don't expect people to just go into any room they please. Or I wouldn't have invited them in at all.

5 comments:

  1. When I go over to someone's house for the first time, I'm almost afraid to ask where the bathroom is. No one should be roaming around your house without escort if you don't know them well.

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  2. I'm with monicker there. How rude was that woman!

    If you start seeing neighbours break off conversation when you approach, you'll know who's been gossiping...

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  3. I get all hinky about this because being a cop, I will often have cop stuff laying around like guns, handcuffs, etc. Most civilians are agahast to find a gun casually laid on the counter for example (but hey, it's just a tool to me), so I try to keep them in the "public areas" of the house.

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  4. Quite right! Even armed with a full dinner invitation I make a point to ask to use the bathroom first time - not because I expect to be told no, but because it's a courtesy. Much like when we say, "How are you today?" to someone, the only answer (unless you are close friends) is "Fine thank you." It's less information gathering than social exchange. You could sub in these words and it would be the same: "I acknowledge your presence and want you to know I am making an effort to be pleasant to you," "That's nice, I want to be pleasant also."

    So when I ask to use the bathroom, what I'm really saying is, "This is your house and I wouldn't dream of wandering around it unasked; may I progress to the next level of exposure of your private home with your permission?"

    Anyone who wanders the house on their own is a big jerk.

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  5. oh, I miss you too!!
    I'll have to catch up!

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