Perfect Strangers

Today I spent time with someone I'll call M. I met M three weeks ago on the Circulator bus. M and I had a very brief conversation on my way back to work.

When I think about how shy I was as a child it seems a complete farce how open I've become with strangers. Small feats in social situations seem to me like I've conquered mountains. I crave more and more. Thankfully, it's always others who approach me. But the fact that I talk to strangers now when I used to never even talk to my classmates is outrageous.

As we approached my stop on the bus, I realized M and I needed to talk again. I pulled out the only scrap of paper in my bag: a bachelorette party invitation insert with my sister's lingerie sizes. Now M kind of knows my sister better too.

M contacted me last week so we could meet up and he could tell me more about his young and eligible son at BYU (M is not LDS though his son is). Because of my sister's wedding last week, we arranged to meet today.

There came a moment today when I really wondered if the meeting would occur. I have made a conscious effort to be more of an extrovert, but even this was a little out there. My mind wandered through several possible scenarios and conversations. I could easily stand him up. Standing him up felt safer than going through with the awkwardness that I was certain would show its familiar face. I didn't need to see M again for any real purpose beyond curiosity and interest in his unique and abrupt personality. Life would go on if I never saw him again. Why did he want to meet me again? Is there an ulterior motive? I'm sure his son already knows plenty of LDS girls at BYU. I'm sure M's life that he told me about will keep him happy and content for the rest of his years independent of my getting to know him better. Why did I need to have this social interaction with him? Why did I need to do this? Why do people need to do this?

M and I did meet again. We walked around a few streets close to where I work for about an hour. He told me about his son. I'd love to meet his son. M showed me a few restaurants and hotels that he liked and pointed out a few buildings and historical points about each thing. M has lived in many places, but he's lived in DC for a long time. Tonight I saw two of the coolest places I've ever seen in DC. I'd love to show them to you sometime (because I won't even attempt to describe them). Then M and I parted ways for him to go see a concert and for me to go babysit.

Now I'm sitting babysitting and scheming. Tonight M helped me realize the change I need to make. I don't know when the change will happen yet. It may be tricky and perhaps more expensive, but I need to move. Why did it take a perfect stranger to help me realize this?

beck