Wallflower

I really do feel quite like a wallflower at work, mainly because I'm lunching with a group of more senior colleagues. They are all nice ladies, and kind too. They try to include me in their conversations, but it's either I cannot catch on or don't know what to say. So I sit there and eat quietly, or smile and make a remark occasionally.

I feel that we could have a good conversation if there's just 2-3 of them at a table. But a group of 6 (with me 7), is rather hard for a newcomer (and an intern at that) to be talkative.

However, I'm really thankful for their presence in the office - at least it makes me feel that I know more people :) And they share the food they make and stuff like that too. Generally their conversations are quite diverse and un-shallow, which makes it fun to listen. I appreciate the fact that they do talk as normal when I'm with them, instead of hushing up sensitive topics.

I don't know how I really got to join them for lunch. It all started when my two other colleagues (now working shift and unable to lunch with me) were late one day, and then I saw this nice lady that I chatted to in the lift sitting alone. She was from the office next to mine. So I asked if I could sit down too. And lo and behold, more of them appeared and that made 7 people! But then I kept on joining them all the same.

Schering-Plough do have very nice workers. There was this lady who was driving a yellow car from one plant to another, and stopped to fetch me when she saw me walking with an umbrella in that direction. She had never seen me at all. In fact she was working in a different plant. However she was very friendly, and nice to chat with. She showed me another way into my plant, and there we parted. My greatest regret was: I forgot to ask her name. I will remember to ask for people's names next time. Usually after I do that I double check the spelling on my telephone directory list to enforce my memory. It's always good to remember people's faces and names :) It makes them closer to you in a way, and somehow it makes me feel I belong.

I do wish I'm less of a wallflower. But wallflowers do appreciate kind people, so the main purpose of writing this is to remind myself that there's such a nice group of people in my office who were willing to try their best to make me part of them, and generously share the company and food they have; at least in that one-hour we have lunch together everyday. :) Hopefully I'm not too much of a bore, and would be able to open myself up soon.