R and J in the USA

While we were in the World War I Museum, there were lots of volunteers spaced throughout the exhibits. We definitely took note that each one of them was enthusiastically engaged in their role, oftentimes approaching with unsolicited but interesting tidbits of extended information about whatever you might be looking at. 

Ryan finished going through the circle of the museum before Julie. As he was leaving, one of the volunteers said hello to him. At some point, Ryan wanted to come back through to find where Julie was. That’s when he learned how attentive and engaged some of these volunteers really were – especially this one woman. 

As Ryan went to head back in, she said to Ryan, “She’s over there,” pointing towards Julie.

Julie and Ryan had never spoken to this volunteer together as a couple. This is something she simply noticed for herself. Ryan never came out and said he was coming back in to look for Julie. But, for a woman as attentive as this, that was not necessary. She answered the question he hadn’t even asked, and would never have thought to ask because he never would have expected anyone to know the answer to, “Do you know where my wife is?” Why would they? But this woman knew the question and the answer.

She continued on to reveal the depths of her observative capacity.

”She’s a reader.”

This is an accurate statement. Ryan nodded in agreement.

”You’re a cruiser.”

Though Ryan does read some things on monuments and museums, as an overall characterization, this is entirely accurate. Ryan will spend more time examining monuments and the nooks and crannies of the buildings, while Julie is reading every word she can.

The woman carried on with her insights.

”There are cruisers and there are readers. It works better when a cruiser is with a cruiser and a reader is with a reader, but sometimes a cruiser and a reader end up together – and sometimes that works out okay too.”

Again, she was right. For us, it worked out pretty well.

After coming to say hello to Julie mid-read, Ryan went off to explore more sections of the building. When he came back to the circle of the museum, the woman was there. Without skipping a beat, as Ryan walked up towards the exhibits, the woman did her job to offer useful information to museum visitors.

With a pleasant and upbeat ring in her voice, she gave Ryan the update with a knowing smile.

”She’s still reading.”