OFF TOPIC
I don't have anything that could possibly measure up to the subject of Frank's story, but this is the long and short of my most embarrassing moment.
One day I got a phone call from a woman who asked about my aunt who had been sick, my recent move to a new home and the night class I had just begun. I really enjoyed the discussion about all those things with her, so much so that it was quite some time before I finally acknowledged that I didn't have the slightest idea who she was. Only then did we learn that she had accidentally been given my telephone number by the directory information operator. There was also another Mike Buckley who had recently moved to the same suburb, who had just started a night class, and who had an aunt who had been sick.
She took the whole conversation in stride with a great sense of humor and was a joy to talk with. Dazzled by all the amazing coincidences and curious to know if there were more, we continued to share more information with each other despite that we were perfect strangers. After quite a lot of pleasant conversation we decided there were no more coincidences other than that the two of us were the same age and single. But the ease of the dialogue was so apparent to both of us that before it was over we had made arrangements for my first blind date.
Never having been on one recommended by a friend, much less on a date with someone I had only accidentally "met" on the phone, I hung up and was immediately a little apprehensive about the whole situation. During the following two weeks, I got more and more nervous as the day became more and more imminent. I had to keep reminding myself of the pleasing, relaxing conversation I had enjoyed with her. Regardless, on the morning of the date I actually thought of calling her to cancel, but I didn't.
As I approached her front door, I was uncharacteristically full of jitters. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait long after I knocked. This was a moment in which seconds seemed like minutes and minutes like hours.
A woman soon appeared and I said, "Hello. I'm Mike Buckley. Is your daughter home?"
--Mike Buckley |
