The Body Type Cafe

"Hi, Giles. I'm almost ready to go. Give me one more minute."

"You don't have to finish that right now, Sarah. Tonight's your birthday, and as your Employer, I'm giving you a new assignment. You are to accompany me to dinner. Then we'll talk, have dessert, and live life to it's fullest. And I'm giving you the day off tomorrow."

"All that for my birthday?”

"That, and the fact that you made employee of the year. Congratulations, Sarah!"

"Employee of the year! I don't know what to say Giles. That's quite an honor."

"Why don't you say that you'll finish that report later, and you're ready to paint the town red."

"I'm getting my coat. Let’s go."

_____

"Thanks for dinner, Giles. That was absolutely the best Italian food I've ever had."

"It certainly was good. I've known the manager here for several years. He set us up with Antonio, their head chef tonight. By the way, what was that special combination of food you requested?"

"I'm a Gallbladder body type, so there are certain foods that strengthen my system and certain foods that weaken it. I was simply ordering a meal that best supported my system."



"That's right, you mentioned that a few weeks ago. I find it very interesting. Perhaps I'm a Gallbladder type too."

"What makes you say that, Giles?"

"I think we're very similar. Especially in how we approach things."

"If you're really interested in this, let's go to the Body Type Café for dessert. Then I'll tell you all about the Gallbladder type and we'll see if it fits for you."

"Sounds like fun. How do we get there?"

"Make a right on Broadway, and a left on Pearl. It's on the corner there."

_____

"I like this café Sarah. It's got personality. But what's with the twenty-five menus? I've never been to a restaurant, let alone a café, that had more than one menu."

"There are twenty-five different body types, so there are twenty-five different menus. Let me order for you. I know the best dessert on the Gallbladder type menu. You're gonna love it."

"Okay, Sarah, I have the utmost faith in you. While we're waiting, tell me more about the Gallbladder type."

"Sure, Giles. In fact, I'll prove to you that you're not a Gallbladder type. How does that sound?"

"Sounds like a challenge to me."

"It shouldn't be too hard, really."

"Why do you say that, Sarah?"

"First of all, no Gallbladder types I know of would ever work in managerial or business ownership positions if they could help it."

"Why not?"

"Gallbladder types enjoy connecting with people, but they are basically timid and shy, preferring to be around their families and close friends. There are a few Gallbladder types who have developed an outgoing nature, but the majority tend to be quiet and reserved around people they don't already know well."

"Sometimes I can be shy around people I don't know."

"Oh come on Giles, get real. I've never seen you shy around anyone. Gallbladder types are careful, practical, and dependable. They also show little interest in leadership positions. See, right there I've got you. But the icing on the cake is this little fact — we’re likely to experience awkwardness or apprehension in positions where we may be required routinely to interact with people we don't know. In fact, Gallbladder types can feel anxious or intimidated in the presence of authority figures, so functioning as a C.E.O., a salesperson, or an office receptionist would ordinarily make us rather uncomfortable. Gallbladder types tend to avoid making themselves conspicuous. Instead, they blend in with those around them."

"I see your point, but there are other things I think we have in common.”

"Oh? Like what?"

"We're both emotionally calm and stable, patient, relaxed, and easygoing."

"That's true, Giles. I also place a high value on getting along with others. You yourself are very tactful, cordial and agreeable, which are all Gallbladder traits. However, you aren't very soft-spoken.”

"No, I suppose I'm not. What other behavior traits would I need to have to convince you I'm a gallbladder type, Sarah?"

"Let's talk about family for a minute. To be honest, I'm really a bit timid and shy, and I prefer to be around my family and close friends. I also tend to keep my inner circle of friends small. You, on the other hand, are quite a social animal.”

"That's true. I've always enjoyed making new friends."

"See. Enough said. There's no way you're a Gallbladder type."

"Okay, Sarah, I see I'm not going to convince you. But I find this all very fascinating. Is it okay if I ask you some more questions about your body type?"

"I suppose so. But you have to promise that nothing will be held against me. I do work for you, after all."

"And you're a close friend of 15 years, if you’ve forgotten."

"Okay, and long time friend. So go ahead. What would you like to know?"

"Something I don't understand, Sarah, is that Gallbladder types are supposedly shy and quiet, but you've never come across that way."

"The majority of Gallbladder types tend to be quiet and reserved around people they don't know very well. I just happen to be one of the few who have learned to develop an outgoing nature. It was a decision I made, and one I'm happy with."

"It was that simple? You just made a decision, and that was that?"

"Yes."

"I like that, Sarah."

"My mom has always been very soft spoken. I love her very much, but I also realized it would be in my best interest if I didn't follow in her footsteps. The fact that I grew up in Queens helped with my decision."

"I would think so. Queens isn’t the best place for a shy, quiet girl to grow up. Have you been back to New York in a while?"

"No. I like my environment stable and calm. I'd much rather keep it that way. My mom still lives there, and I visit her once in a while."

"Does your mother give you a hard time for not visiting regularly?"

"Yes, and though it shouldn't bother me, family acceptance or approval tends to be considerably more meaningful to me than approval from the outside world."

"Since I've known you, I never thought of you as needing approval."

"That's because I'm basically self-assured, and I don't rely on reassurances from outside sources for my sense of well being. But when it comes to family, it's a little different."

"Let me ask you this. With regard to work, what would be some Gallbladder characteristics I would pick up on if I paid close attention?"

"Hey, do I get a raise after answering? This might sound like a pitch for one."

"Let's hear it."

"First of all, I'm comfortable working within an established chain-of-command. I'm careful, steady, and dependable, with good follow-through. And I generally have few problems getting along with others, making me an ideal "team player" and an asset to the firm. Oh, and did I mention that I also tend to accomplish exactly what’s expected of me?"

"Maybe I should give you another raise. That was a good pitch, Sarah."

"I thought you'd like it."

"I did. I was also wondering what motivates you to keep that edge."

"I make decisions by taking in information, letting it digest, then seeing how it feels. I'm also more a giver than a taker. It really makes me feel good to make myself useful to others at work or at home."

"That's one thing I always hear people in the office talking about — how helpful you are, how you always make an effort and go out of your way for other people in the office. You didn't make employee of the year just for your good looks."

"Thanks, Giles. I’d hoped that wasn't the reason."

"Of course not, Sarah. You're really a role model for everyone. But that doesn't mean I haven't heard other things through the grapevine."

"Other things? Like what?"

"Nothing much, really. Just some comments about your skepticism. But that's nothing I didn't already know. You've always been a little skeptical. Is that a Gallbladder trait?"

"Yes, I'm generally skeptical about people’s claims, assertions, and changing perceptions. I'm still open to new ideas that make good sense, but I would describe myself as having more of a scientific approach to the truth. It has to be proven first. My views simply lean more toward the conservative or conventional side. Acceptance of new ideas is relatively slow for me. I prefer to stay with the ‘tried and true' and what I know."

"Back to that outgoing nature of yours. Didn't you ever struggle with your shyness before you broke out of your shell?"

"Of course, Giles. In the past, I was really into safety and security. I wasn't the type of person to go out on a limb and take calculated risks in the name of adventure and excitement. The turning point for me was when a group of my closest friends took me up in a hot air balloon for my twenty-first birthday. I was so nervous about it. I kept thinking it would run out of propane, or we'd get swept out to sea by a sudden storm, or a bird might run into the balloon and rip a hole in the side."

"That would have had to be a very large bird, Sarah."

"I know. I was just a kid back then, Giles, so don't make fun of me, okay?"

"All right. Go on. This is getting interesting."

"Well, as you know, I survived the balloon ride, and it helped me realize that security didn't always equate with fun. I'm glad my friends persuaded me to go. It really made a difference for me."

"Just out of curiosity, what have I done to assist you in becoming employee of the year?"

"Absolutely nothing?"

"Nothing, Sarah?"

"I was just kidding. Actually Giles, you've supported my learning style. As a Gallbladder type, I grasp new ideas gradually. The way I learn best is when information is presented in a relatively straightforward way. When I'm forced to integrate a lot of unfamiliar concepts at once, I can easily become overwhelmed. But once I've absorbed new information, I'm okay. My ability to retain and apply new information is excellent. I guess you could say that, in a nutshell, it's best for me to be walked through new information in a step-by-step manner with concrete, hands-on experiences. That's exactly what you've done for me. The only time I felt insecure was when I first started working for you. I wasn't sure how things were going to go at first. I didn't feel competent to do my job or move toward fulfilling my goals. I was unsure how to proceed, so I procrastinated and was even reluctant to set goals. My insecurity surrounded a feeling that I couldn’t do it or make it on my own.

“Sometimes I find it hard to learn new things, so I'll feel inferior in certain areas. I think a lot of that is related to my experience working for other people in the past, and let me tell you, I'd never go back. I used to have people dumping huge files on my desk, with no explanation, no instructions, nothing. I was expected to figure out what needed to be done, with virtually no communication, and have it done by the end of the day. That was absurd. The only thing I ended up accomplishing was to get angry, and even that I didn't work out well. I often suppress my anger and hold on to it as resentment or bitterness. I was so relieved when I started working with you. It's nice when somebody else speaks your language."

"I'm glad you enjoy working for us, Sarah. I never knew you ever felt insecure when you started, but I'm glad things worked out for the better. Hey, did you notice you said I speak your language? Maybe I am a Gallbladder type after all."

"Giles, I thought you gave up on that already."

"Is stubbornness a Gallbladder trait? It is, isn't it?"

"Okay, so it is. That still doesn't mean you’re..."

"Doesn't mean I'm not. Oh, and by the way, this dessert you picked out is fantastic."

"I knew you’d like it."

"So, Sarah, you're sometimes a bit stubborn. What brings that on?"

"I wouldn't call it stubbornness. I'd say persevering would be more accurate, though at times perhaps a little stubborn. It’s more my attempt to get others to fully appreciate my beliefs and convictions. When I'm under stress or at my worst, I've been known to close down and become narrow-minded. In an attempt to feel safe, I'll try to control my environment by withdrawing. When I'm at my worst, I come across as verbally persuasive and have a tendency to want to control others in a dominating, restrictive manner, though most of this is unconscious. At these times, I'm unusually persistent in my efforts to get others to do what I think is important."

"I want you to feel comfortable coming to me if you're having a bad day Sarah. There's no point in suffering by yourself. If there's anything I can do for you, let me know."

"Thanks, Giles, but Gallbladder types have difficulty dealing with emotions — theirs as well as others'. I've made some personal growth in this area, but it's still challenging for me. I'll either try to control my emotions by suppressing them, or if I'm seriously out of touch with myself, I'll deny the existence of these emotions altogether. The result is that I'll appear rigid or dogmatic, prescribing rules, implied expectations, or "shoulds" to others and myself. It's more unconscious than conscious — more a defense mechanism to prevent harm or to keep myself from being controlled by circumstances or by others. The result, however, of suppressing my emotions is a build up of anger and resentment. Not a healthy thing."

"How do you deal with stress like that when it comes up? Everyone has a way out. What's yours?"

"When I find myself faced with problems I can do nothing about, I'm able to turn them over to a higher power, get into a meditative state and allow my intuition to come forth. That, of course, only began to happen for me after I learned to let go of my fear and my need to control. At this point, I'm able to allow for a new awareness and embrace new ideas and concepts. Coincidentally, solutions and opportunities tend to present themselves at this time, once I've let go.”

"That's wonderful, Sarah. You certainly have always handled yourself professionally at work."

"That's because regardless of how reactive I may become, the outside world would never know it. Controlling any unacceptable response is a high priority for me. I don't like to make waves or be disruptive."

"Okay, I would have to agree that you made a very good case. I think I can go to bed tonight convinced I’m not a Gallbladder type like you, but that doesn't mean I'm not a Thalamus type."

"Thalamus type? How'd you decide that?"

"I saw the menu."

"Giles, do me a favor and make an appointment to have yourself body typed."

"All right. But before that happens, I'd like to make a toast in your honor. To friends and good fortune. Happy Birthday, Sarah. Cheers."

"Thanks, Giles."