How I Became A Babysitter
Working in retail comes with having to be social, especially with strangers. So I wasn’t new to this idea of talking to a random person on a sunny day.
I came across a woman that was visiting the store. She was staring at the jean wall in dismay, and I asked if she wanted help. She said yes, and I found her a few pairs of jeans to try on in various styles and lengths. She had her parents, who were visiting from New Jersey, and her little baby with her. While she tried on different things, her parents and I got into a conversation. They were visiting their daughter after the pandemic, and they were very happy to see their little granddaughter! I cooed and ah-ed the baby, I absolutely adore them. I got to know more about the woman and her family after chatting with the grandparents, and then the woman decided to buy a few pairs of jeans. We talked again at the cash register, and I told her if she ever needed a second hand, I am an excellent babysitter (being social requires you to offer your services at times!). I am always nervous to tell people I am a babysitter, because you never know what kind of people you can come across. But I had an inkling that these are good people. The woman took my phone number and said she’d tell me if she ever needed help. And she did! I babysat and hung out with the little baby for a few hours, and off I went back home. It was quite the experience, and I was surprised that I had it in me to go all the way to someone else’s house to spend time with their baby!
I often find it hard to socialize, even though I do it on a regular basis at work. I aim to one day be naturally social and hold conversations with confidence and class, and doing all of that without fumbling or feeling a nervous pit in my stomach. I have found that having small conversations can often lead to the most wonderful friendships, and that is why I continue to talk to strangers everywhere, no matter what. It can also brighten up someone’s bad day if a random stranger is kind to them, even if you say a small hello or namaste, you never know the difference you’re making when you’re doing it with a smile.
When was the last time you talked to a stranger and was kind to them?