Making a gesture

The Montrealer told me it was time to go home. It had been a long day at work, and I was not doing a good job at just leaving things till tomorrow. "Hey, they'll still be there." I agreed and started to log off the computer. Naturally any window that was still open was asking to be saved or for permission to sign out. Finally after hitting the enter key a half dozen time it began to log out as I told it to log out already while gesturing as I spoke.

Looking up, I saw that our new temp was looking rather amused and I said something about the genetic need to talk with my hands. The Montrealer nodded in agreement. "Talking with your hands is very important." she said. I then horrified her by telling her of how the Irish nuns in my school used to force me to sit on my hands when I spoke to break me of this filthy foreign habit. Needless to say my girl was shocked and disgusted. We stopped as we were headed down the hall, still discussing the importance of gesture, to pry Monkeyboy away from his desk as well. As he came out the door I was saying something about the Gallic shrug. I got blank looks, even from the Montrealer. So I demonstrated. It is a tilt of the head and the quick uplifting of either one or both shoulders. It is sometimes accompanied by "eh". It is a gesture that would reduce my 3rd ex to absolute fits. Monkeyboy said something about it being dismissive, but I said no, it is simply an expression of resignation to life's absurdities. Montealer continued to claim never to have used much less seen this gesture and I think I shrugged.

As we walked towards the exit, we were discussing the possibilities of the weekend since we have MLK day off. Monkeyboy started to complain that he had to go to New York. Needless to say he got no sympathetic reception to his complaint. Montrealer asked, "How can you not like New York?"

Monkeyboy, "I just don't! Okay. Let Ganome go, he loves New York."

Montrealer tilted her head and one shoulder went up slightly. I couldn't help it, I pointed at her and said, "She just did it!" This produced a loud round of laughter as Monkeyboy and the temp realized that she had, as well as producing stares from passersby. Like I said, it's genetic. (Ganome shrugs and hits publish button.)