ROTATION
This weekend we attended something new called “Rotation,” where we sat opposite a person, talked to them for three minutes, and then switched. It seemed oddly social for this place, not to mention a lot like that speed dating I’ve seen on TV. The worst part about it was that I was forced to have three-minute conversations with people I don’t normally enjoy talking with. Picture me sitting with Tanya for three minutes, asking her questions like, “How do you like being Abby’s roommate?” and “What did you think of that breakfast game?” and Tanya just sitting there looking at her nails. She didn’t say a single word to me. How rude! (Oh GOD! Did I pick that line up from
Full House
? Is that crappy show working its way into my subconscious? Soon
I’ll be saying, “You got it, dude” and thinking Uncle Jesse’s mullet is cool!)
I was also forced to sit with Phil/Shaggy for three minutes, which felt like a perved-out eternity. He kept asking me questions like, “So, do you have a boyfriend? Why not? What would you do with him if you did?” I tried to change the focus and asked Phil questions about home and school. “I don’t remember,” was the only answer he gave. Then he went on to ask what size bra I wore.
The good—no, great—no, wonderful!—part of Rotation was that I got to talk a whole three minutes with Justin. That was the first time we ever really got to talk without anyone else being in the conversation or monitoring us.
When we sat down, we were both silent for a few seconds. Then we started talking at once, stopped, started, stopped, and then both said, “You go first,” and laughed. Finally I said, “I’ll go first.” I wanted to make sure we were kosher (I have always heard that word used to mean “OK,” but I have never used it myself unless referring to hot dogs). It wasn’t often that I opened myself up and shared my feminist views. Can I still be considered a feminist if I’m sucked into the body image bullshit? I have often wondered if the only people who can defend women’s bodies are beautiful, thin, perfect women. My fear is that I’ll talk about the unrealistic standards for women, and when I’m done some asshole will blurt out, “You’re only saying that because
you’re fat and no one likes you.” I said to Justin, “I hope I didn’t freak you out yesterday with my diatribe.”
“You didn’t. Don’t worry. I wasn’t lying when I said I agreed with you. Not everyone watches those people on TV and thinks they’re hot. How can I when they look so fake?” His hands were on his knees, which bounced up and down as he emphasized his ever-intriguing point. “Like, they’re making all of these pouty faces and they’re groping walls. Why am I supposed to think that’s sexy again? Plus, not to be graphic, but the whole idea of touching a fake breast makes me think of squeezing a big ball of tapioca. And tapioca grosses me out.”
“Ohmigod! Me, too!” I blurted. “That bubble tea they sell now? That’s so sick! It looks like little fish eggs or balls of fat.”
He laughed. I couldn’t believe it. I had no idea that a guy could see past the long legs and cleavage to an actual person. Not to mention how gorgeous he looked as he talked about it.
“You know what else I hate?”
“Enlighten me,” he said with a sly smile.
“I hate that face that all models and actresses make in photographs where their mouths are closed and not smiling, but you can just see their two front teeth. What’s that about? It’s so unnatural. I’ve tried doing it in the mirror, but it’s hard. Maybe that’s how you become famous. There’s a test where they make you do all of these stupid poses and say stupid things, and the very last piece is where they take your picture,
and if you can make the front tooth non-smile pose then you’re in.”
Justin laughed, and we both tried to make the face for the remaining twenty seconds of our time. When someone yelled “Switch!” Justin broke into a full, toothy smile, lifted his right hand, and gave a small wave. “’Bye.”
Shit. That would have been the perfect time to ask him about his hand.