unexpected

So there i was, talking on the phone with my mom, and she asked me a question that caught me a bit--err--off-guard. it is one of the probably top five questions i've ever heard. not that i wished that i was the one who had asked it, but it was a very good question.

'j, when they don't do it to you first, how do you know when to give someone a high five, or when to do that thing where you make a fist and hit their fist?'

now, i'm not exceptionally cool or socially on target. i'm not exceptionally awkward , either--in fact, i'm not really exceptional at all. but i was pretty shocked that i couldn't whip out an impressive explanation, with examples, to answer dear moms' question. i guess i feel somewhat responsible for being cool and helping her understand some of the trends of the day, unexeptional tho i might be, i have my age at least on my side. After all, i was the one to explainto her what 'cheddah' is, and assure her that the first low rider she saw with hydraulics was, in fact, popping wheelies on purpose.

i recovered from the initial shock and the laughter that had ensued when i realized what she had just said.

'uh, well, i don't know, mom. you kindof just know.'

Except at that moment i realized, that i didn't really.

After a bit of a discussion where i tried to remember every time i had high-fived or fist-rocked someone in the past several days, and when i instigated, whether i had gone open or closed fist,
i finally settled on the explanation that, at least in my experience, high-fives tended to be a little more celebratory or up-beat, and a fist-rock was more 'what's up'. it just happens. i don't know how.

anywho, i assured my mom that if i didn't know, probably no one would judge her on her choice of hand greeting. if she actually goes around using either, that's pretty awesome.

everyone i've asked since then has variation in their reasoning. which is, i guess, why we end up sometimes with that awkward punching open palm thing where both people do different things. but variety moves the world.

anyways, my mom is so rad.