Close Talker

For any of you Seinfeld fans out there, you know exactly what I’m talking about when I say, “she was a close talker”. Now, being a close talker in Honduras is seriously CLOSE because within latino culture there is much less personal space to begin with. Most normal conversations here invade one’s personal space by Western standards. One of my patients today, let’s call her Maria, came into the room and instead of taking the seat I offered, she came and stood over me at my desk. She couldn’t even bend her arm to point at her belly without nearly hitting me in the head, she was so close! So, I stood up too, and she moved in closer. Fortunately, I was much taller so I could get a breath of fresh air now and then. I even tried to use the chart as a barrier, holding it between us, but she just moved around to my side where the chart wasn’t inhibiting her closeness! What a blessing that she had been privy to a toothbrush recently or I may have had to call in for backup! :)