Following People I've Never Talked To: Observations of Non-Verbal Communication

Directions in Bahrain are difficult, and I've written about it before.  I was taking our car to a garage on the recommendation of a friend, and when I called the mechanic, he told me to meet him near the Gulf Air club.  I knew where that was, and was happy to meet him there.  As I pulled up and started to park in front of the club, I saw a car parked across the street with two men inside.  Before I had even stopped the car, they flashed their lights at me, I gave them a wave, and they pulled out.  I just followed them.

The oddity of it occurred to me as we followed the men the last mile to the garage.  We both just assumed we'd met the right people and went on with our business.  When we pulled up to the garage, then we got out, introduced ourselves and shook hands.  But it was just a knowing glance that confirmed I was the follower and he was the followee. 

So much is communicated non verbally, and I've noticed it other times.  I've seen men talk across a street, yelling just one or two words, giving hand gestures, but seeming to speak volumes to each other.  After a few back-and-forths, they all seem satisfied and will go on their way.  If I do catch the words they use, the words themselves are so ambiguous that an outsider - like myself - has absolutely no clue what's being discussed.  I've been trying to think of any sort of similar thing I've seen in the states, but nothing comes to mind.