John Y’s Musings from the Middle: Car Washes and Awkward Shyness

About once or twice a year I go through a full service car wash

The first time I knew they existed I was a small boy with my mom and she explained what was going on as I watched on with wonder from the lobby area.

I much prefer the self-service car washes because you don’t have to get out of your car and wait 10–15 min in a wait area.
Which can be awkward

I am in the waiting area now and have watched two grown men (one about 60 and the other mid 40s) stand with their back to the rest of us pretending to watch the car wash process with the wonder of a small boy

I have to assume they aren’t really entranced by this process which –though still remarkable in many ways—losses much of its mystery by ones teen years

I suspect instead it is a defense mechanism to the awkward waiting room. What do you talk about to fellow customers?
“So, have a dirty car today, do ya?
Me too”

So instead we pretend to watch the washing process like we did as children

But I am different. I don’t have the need to pretend to be busy so I don’t have to make conversation. Oh, wait a minute. A new customer just sat down next to me. I need to walk outside and pretend like I am making a phone call.