Repeated Encounters
Isn't it interesting how all of a sudden you can start to see a random stranger seemingly all over the place? I guess in this particular incident it isn't ALL over the place, but it felt like it. A few weeks ago I got on the Smart Way bus for my weekend jaunt to Colorado. A curly haired guy got on the bus a few minutes after me and I noticed he had a University of Colorado shirt on and wondered if he was going to Colorado as well. At the airport he ended up being next to me in the check-in line and at some point the counter person verbally confirmed that I was going to Denver. When curly haired guy heard that he ask which route I was taking. I replied "through O'Hare" and he said something to the effect that that was the way he was going after the airline switched his flight for some reason. I probably could have been more sociable and continued the conversation and made a new friend, but I was in kind of a not-really-motivated mode and so left the conversation at that. Of course I noticed him on each of the flights to Denver and also ended up sitting across from him at the gate waiting for our connection at O'Hare. He made a friend there while I just pretend to not be listening in on their conversation. Each time I saw him I felt slightly guilty for not continuing a friendly conversation when I had the chance, at this point it just felt awkward to.
So anyway, as luck would have it, he was on both of my return flights to Roanoke, the Smart Way bus back to campus and then we both rushed over to Burrus to catch the Hethwood bus. He high tailed it to that bus because it left I think 10 minutes after Smart Way arrived at Squires. I felt slightly superior for being more experiences with such things and only walked at a brisk pace, confident I'd make the bus on time. The whole bus ride (all 10 minutes of it) I kept thinking what an awkward coincidence it would be if he ended up getting off at the same stop as me and living next door or something. No luck with that, he stayed on when I got off at the Haymarket square stop. Anyway, I spent the 30 second walk to my front door feeling stupid/awkward/antisocial for never making any small talk but assured myself it didn't matter at this point because I'd never see him again.
Well, naturally that wasn't the case or I wouldn't be writing this post. I decided to spend the afternoon/evening downtown after being in the house all weekend feeling slightly sick and my first stop was the library to look for a good book to read (didn't end up finding one). Well, as I was walking in, here comes curly haired dude walking out and we kind of made that awkward eye contact that's like yeah, we recognize each other but don't know each other well enough to even say "hi" . Le Sigh. I wish I was more gregarious and friendly.
So anyway, as luck would have it, he was on both of my return flights to Roanoke, the Smart Way bus back to campus and then we both rushed over to Burrus to catch the Hethwood bus. He high tailed it to that bus because it left I think 10 minutes after Smart Way arrived at Squires. I felt slightly superior for being more experiences with such things and only walked at a brisk pace, confident I'd make the bus on time. The whole bus ride (all 10 minutes of it) I kept thinking what an awkward coincidence it would be if he ended up getting off at the same stop as me and living next door or something. No luck with that, he stayed on when I got off at the Haymarket square stop. Anyway, I spent the 30 second walk to my front door feeling stupid/awkward/antisocial for never making any small talk but assured myself it didn't matter at this point because I'd never see him again.
Well, naturally that wasn't the case or I wouldn't be writing this post. I decided to spend the afternoon/evening downtown after being in the house all weekend feeling slightly sick and my first stop was the library to look for a good book to read (didn't end up finding one). Well, as I was walking in, here comes curly haired dude walking out and we kind of made that awkward eye contact that's like yeah, we recognize each other but don't know each other well enough to even say "hi" . Le Sigh. I wish I was more gregarious and friendly.