Today I took a walk through the park (and let me say, halleujah that it's getting warmer here, because I was about to lose my mind with all the snow and wind and rain.) and trying to find someone who looked like the might be amenable to wanting to talk to me about a few survey questions. That is, about garage doors.
I saw cute little kids running in that ridiculous big-headed way they have where it looks like they might tip over at any minute. I saw weird people with dogs. I saw some teenagers.
I saw a youngish looking woman, who was sitting at a park bench and sort of half-heartedly perusing an old newspaper.
"Excuse me," I said, and she looked up.
"Would you mind answering a very quick survey for me?" I held up my clipboard helpfully, hoping it would make me more official. It worked.
"Sure thing. What's this about?"
"Well," I said, "I really only have one question for you, and this is it: how do you feel about garage doors?"
She gave me the "huh?" expression everyone does at that question.
"I'm not really sure I'm affected by them on an emotional level."
"Just say the first thing that pops into your head," I suggested.
"Well. I always think of transformers when I think of garages. I don't even particularly like those movies, and I barely remember watching the show in the nineties. But I can't help but think, every single time, of the phrase 'autobots, roll out!'" She giggles charmingly. "That's probably not the kind of answer you were looking for, but that's all I really feel about them."
I nod enthusiastically. "No, that's wonderful. THank you so much for your time."
She laughs. "No, thank you. I've never told anybody that before."