The Burning Crusade
So, my sleeping was kind of weird today, and I decided to hop over to the mall just now to pick up my preorder of The Burning Crusade and maybe grab a slice for lunch. I wasn't looking to impress anyone, so I just had a ballcap and my ratty blue hoodie from two years ago. (Yes, and pants. I learned my lesson from last time.) I was the very picture of a chubby, unwashed gamer telling strangers about his level 60 ice specced mage.
Anyway, I picked up the expansion without a problem and sat down to have my slice. I started reading the manual that came with it, because for all the hype surrounding the release of the expansion, I never bothered to read the story that came along with it. While I was reading, I saw that the table in front of me was occupied by two little blonde girls (neither could have been older than 8) and their very cute, pixie-faced redheaded mom. She might have been in her mid thirties, but it was hard to say. Tweed jacket, maroon blouse - the very picture of a suburban mom out with the kids at the mall. I don't have a particular thing for redheads, but my tastes in women are pretty broad. I surreptitiously stole a couple of glances at her, much the same as I would any pretty woman. I mean, I'm married - not dead, right?
I was knee deep in the story of how the Blood Elves came to be, when I heard a tentative "Excuse me, don't mean to interrupt."
I looked up and smiled at the pretty redhead standing at my table. I'm unused to strangers approaching me for anything, much less strangers I just got done checking out.
"That game. Do you play it?" She smiled gamely and gestured at the manual in my hand.
I set it down and gave her my full attention. "Well, it's the expansion for the game. It just came out today, so I haven't had the chance to play it yet."
"Well, don't tell my husband it's come out. That game has kind of taken over his life."
"Oh, you're a WOW widow, huh?"
She returned to her seat and continued. "Is that what they call us? Well, I'll tell you, he's been ... kind of lonely ever since he started playing that game, if you know what I mean."
I chuckled, unsure what to think of this sudden candor from a stranger. "I do know what you mean. Balance is important."
"I mean, I've got these two, and he's got his ... whatever in the game. Friendly advice - pay attention to your wife."
"Well, we both play, so ..."
"Oh, well that's good."
I was done with my slice, and stood up to leave. "Fair warning - chances are he already knows about the expansion from the game itself."
"Oh."
I gave her a sympathetic look as I dumped my trash and set my tray on the trashcan. "I'm so sorry. Best of luck."
...
Now, what had come to mind at some point was to throw a flirtatious comment out there, something on the order of "Well, I hope he doesn't neglect you too much. If I wasn't married, I probably would have made a pass at you by now." Something stopped me, though, not sure what. I flirt all the time with my friends and casual acquaintances, but maybe there's something different about flirting with a perfect stranger. Anyway, it probably wouldn't have been productive. Maybe she would have gotten a bit of an ego boost, and maybe I would have too if she responded positively, but ... eh, I dunno.
Well, in the time it took me to write that, the expansion has completed its installation routine. Hooray! Time to hop on the "Let's roll a blood elf" bandwagon. ^_^
Anyway, I picked up the expansion without a problem and sat down to have my slice. I started reading the manual that came with it, because for all the hype surrounding the release of the expansion, I never bothered to read the story that came along with it. While I was reading, I saw that the table in front of me was occupied by two little blonde girls (neither could have been older than 8) and their very cute, pixie-faced redheaded mom. She might have been in her mid thirties, but it was hard to say. Tweed jacket, maroon blouse - the very picture of a suburban mom out with the kids at the mall. I don't have a particular thing for redheads, but my tastes in women are pretty broad. I surreptitiously stole a couple of glances at her, much the same as I would any pretty woman. I mean, I'm married - not dead, right?
I was knee deep in the story of how the Blood Elves came to be, when I heard a tentative "Excuse me, don't mean to interrupt."
I looked up and smiled at the pretty redhead standing at my table. I'm unused to strangers approaching me for anything, much less strangers I just got done checking out.
"That game. Do you play it?" She smiled gamely and gestured at the manual in my hand.
I set it down and gave her my full attention. "Well, it's the expansion for the game. It just came out today, so I haven't had the chance to play it yet."
"Well, don't tell my husband it's come out. That game has kind of taken over his life."
"Oh, you're a WOW widow, huh?"
She returned to her seat and continued. "Is that what they call us? Well, I'll tell you, he's been ... kind of lonely ever since he started playing that game, if you know what I mean."
I chuckled, unsure what to think of this sudden candor from a stranger. "I do know what you mean. Balance is important."
"I mean, I've got these two, and he's got his ... whatever in the game. Friendly advice - pay attention to your wife."
"Well, we both play, so ..."
"Oh, well that's good."
I was done with my slice, and stood up to leave. "Fair warning - chances are he already knows about the expansion from the game itself."
"Oh."
I gave her a sympathetic look as I dumped my trash and set my tray on the trashcan. "I'm so sorry. Best of luck."
...
Now, what had come to mind at some point was to throw a flirtatious comment out there, something on the order of "Well, I hope he doesn't neglect you too much. If I wasn't married, I probably would have made a pass at you by now." Something stopped me, though, not sure what. I flirt all the time with my friends and casual acquaintances, but maybe there's something different about flirting with a perfect stranger. Anyway, it probably wouldn't have been productive. Maybe she would have gotten a bit of an ego boost, and maybe I would have too if she responded positively, but ... eh, I dunno.
Well, in the time it took me to write that, the expansion has completed its installation routine. Hooray! Time to hop on the "Let's roll a blood elf" bandwagon. ^_^