Monday, April 02, 2007

Old Friends/New Friends

Oh my! Two days without a post. That hasn't happened for a while. I just wasn't feeling it, I guess.

I'm not sure I am feeling it now. I've been struggling with finding a subject and actually putting down on paper the screen.

The weekend was just a little odd. Early on Friday I text messaged my friend, Chef Bob. If you ever want to freak him out, text message him. He can't figure it out and it throws him off his game. He's not the most technically savvy person I've ever come across - which is kind of endearing.

I had left a number of emails for him without any response. I had not seen him since we went to Kathy Griffin almost two months ago. Being technically behind the eight-ball, Bob only has a work email...so it's all I was using. After a few emails, I had a dream about him that he had lost his job and working at a grocery store. I didn't give it much thought.

Anyhoo...Chef Bob calls me back and says he hasn't gotten any of my emails because...........he'd been canned from his job. Anyone and everyone could have seen it coming. The people he worked for were freaks. All it was going to take was a Bob furrowing his brow the wrong way on the wrong date and he'd be out of there....and it's pretty much what happened. It's probably the best thing, but coming off of it recently, no one likes to be fired.

Also on Friday, the bf was ill while his aunt was staying with us. While I was at work and he was out on the couch we were left a message from an old Columbus friend acquaintance...."Daphne" (not her real name, but that's what we'll call her). Honestly, I haven't heard from her in a coon's age. I honestly think the last time was when Rebecca was leaving us after a holiday stay....in our old house. To say a proper good-bye to Becca, I told Daphne I'd call her back and I don't think I ever did.

Daphne just wanted to touch base. For some reason I felt the need to call her back, which I did the following day. Obviously I had lots to catch her up on - if nothing else, job-wise. Sadly, in the years we had not talked, she had no updates. None. For anyone here who knows Daphne, this will not come as a surprise as we had this figured out years and years ago. Still working the same job at the same place seeing the same two people socially for eons. She might be driving a new car, I don't know on that last item. I didn't ask.

But Saturday I went out to lunch with an acquaintance from my old job. We had worked on a major project together and I'm telling you my gaydar completely failed me when it came to him. Though I'm kind of glad it failed him to when it came to me. Or so he says. Maybe he was being kind.

We weren't close at work, but ran into each other at Chef Bob's New Year's Open House. Of the 200 people who were there, I'd say 80% were gay. Jon C (not to be confused with just Jon) and I kind of hung out. He only knew Bob and Matt peripherally, but because of a mutual friend in Chicago, he was invited.

Jon C asked if was....you know.....gay. Made me laugh. But he's a great guy and easy to talk to. We kept meaning to get together for lunch or dinner, but never did. Right before I started my new job, I ran into him while I was having lunch with another friend. After I got settled, we touched base and after many cancellations had a 4-hour lunch. We tried to steer the conversation from my old (and his current) place of employ - but it was hard. We at least found fresh angles to our battles.

It was nice getting to know someone in a different way. I remember a Seinfeld when Jerry says people over 30 can't make new friends - and honest to g-d, it is TOUGH. But not impossible. He is looking forward to meeting Denton and I will plan a dinner with Matt, Bob, Jon, Denton and myself.

..and while having lunch my cell rings. It's a Columbus number I don't recognize, but I pick up. It was kind of rude, since I was with someone, but I did it anyway. It was an long-ago co-worker from Ohio State! Odd.

Diane is my age and she used to work with me in Orientation. Diane was a highly educated woman who is Type A to a serious degree. But on the other hand she'd say 'the point is mute' which drove me up a wall! Diane had a seriously hot husband (shut up Kris) - which to this day I don't quite understand the attraction.

After Diane left after having her child, we missed her, but to be honest not enough to really stay in touch. She stopped by with the baby once or twice and I saw her last maybe 7 years ago at a dinner when UVC imploded. Some former members were invited back - but not many. We exchange holiday cards and that is about it.

So imagine my surprise. She and her daughter were up in Cleveland for a weekend away (in Cleveland??). She was hoping I could have lunch or dinner. Since I was at lunch, that was out. I had to check on the bf to see if he was alright, so dinner was out too. I asked if she was up for lunch the next day. She was.

I can't say I was really jazzed about it. How do you catch up over lunch on stuff over the last umpteen years? Oh and her daughter, whom I had never really met (a 2 mo old doesn't really count) was joining us.

Diane looked great. Sounded the same with all the same kind of stories. Family and in-laws. Some funny things. But can I say this about her daughter? SURLY. Now I know it had to be hard for her sitting there for an hour with someone she'd never met. I tried to include her, but to no avail. Ruckiry (not Jon's boss) it was only lunch and we limited it to about 90 minutes.

She remembers everything though (as do I), so she asked about my sisters (by name) and the kids she knew of (by name) and what their ages would be. I asked about her family the same way - and her husband's too. We didn't bring up a mutual friend of ours, Ann. Ann didn't like Diane. She thought she was prissy - and she is. But then I didn't have to tell Diane of my huge falling out with Ann about 10 yrs ago, so all was good.

I guess I'm kind of glad I did it - for nothing else that I can give Kris detailed updates that no one here cares about.

And early this week I get to have dinner with a former nurse and doctor from my old department. Ellen is gone and she is not dating a physician from our group....so that should be interesting to say the least.

I swear, this new job had really got me work/life balanced. I've never been this social. Well not in a decade.

5 comments:

rebecca said...

I hope you're ordering salads at all these meals! Caesar salad with balsamic dressing!

So can we hear about your falling out with Ann? And why use "Daphne"? If she's reading this, she'll obviously know it's her, and we all know who you're talking about. Why not "Velma" or "Scooby"?

Kris said...

Are you kidding me? (Sorry, couldn't help it.)

Thanks for the Diane update, though. (Who's next? Fred and Phyllis?)

Sue said...

Golly! I'm gonna need a score card to keep track of all these people.

Blobby said...

So far - all salads. I'm trying to be a good boy.

Daphne knows she's called Daphne - but I don't think she knows I have this blog let alone reads it.

As for Ann - I more than mentioned it on my 12/31/06 blog entry.

rebecca said...

Ooooooh, THAT Ann.