ROSEMARY ABBOTT | Culture
CHAT TRAP
Ben Timmons, 35, is currently trapped in an inescapable conversation vortex with his neighbour Keith Walters, 68, after what was meant to be a brief exchange spiraled well beyond the acceptable time frame.
The ordeal began when Walters, upon spotting Timmons tending to his front garden, turned to his wife, who was preparing dinner, and assured her he was “just going to have a quick chat with the neighbour about the grass.”
That was 47 minutes ago.
“It started with me asking him a couple of things about how to get the grass patches right. I thought we’d be done in 10 minutes,” Timmons shared with a weary sigh.
“But while he gave me some turf tips, the conversation went to rugby after I mentioned it briefly. Now I’m practically an expert on grass and the Canterbury rugby team’s 1995 season,” said Timmons, who was just seeking quick advice on watering schedules.
“I tried saying things like “ Well, no doubt they were the glory days of Canterbury rugby. But hey I better get back to it.” But then he asked if I went to the same college as one of his friend’s sons. Naturally it was a guy who I had never heard of.”
At the time of publishing Ben was still stuck in a conversation he felt like he could not gracefully leave.
More to come.
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