A Little Less Lonely

Earlier this week I was leaving the computer lab at work on my way to my next class.  A student (who seems to have developed a bit of a crush on me) was coming into the lab at the same time.  He's Saudi.  He teasingly blocked the doorway.  I moved right to go around, but he moved to block my way.  We're saying hello as this happens.  I move left.  He blocks me again.

We stand there, at an impasse.  I can't touch him to move him out of the way (cultural no-no), and I don't want to make a big deal of it.  I'm not sure what to do, and I'm feeling a little annoyed, because I want to get to my next class.  Suddenly, one of the guys in my lab comes from behind me, walks past me, and proceeds to push the guy physically out of the way.  Just nonchalantly backs him out of the doorway and up against the wall.  He pins him there while I walk past.  It was all in good fun, and they were both chuckling as I left.

I felt lots of things- relief to be out of an awkward situation; amusement at the matter-of-fact way that this other guy just appointed himself my personal body guard; but mostly- and most unusually, in my world- I felt protected.  Not that I was in any danger, but I still felt like someone was looking out for me, without being asked to; just because it needed to be done.

It's a special thing- knowing that someone is making it their business to protect you.  Not because they have to, but because they want to.  Because they care about what happens to you.  Enough to take on danger in order to keep you safe.  It makes the world seem a little less lonely.

I'm pretty sure that wasn't on my student's mind the other day.  But I hope one day soon it will be on someone's mind.  Because being protected is a feeling I would like to experience more often.