The Dunes

A walk along the beach earlier today provided a nice blip. The day provided a great story.
The blip is of the sand dunes that were purposely built up in hopes of discouraging the sea from surging up onto the homes behind them. One guy was enjoying them as a wind breaker while he sat soaking up some sun. All along the coast these dunes are plowed up in front of the boardwalks ever since hurricane Sandy caused so much destruction.
I stopped to get my hair done at the salon and when I walked in, I recognized a woman that was there they last time I was in to get my highlights. She was also getting color so we had time to chat.
We discovered we only lived a block away from each other. We joked about our mail being mixed up. We were getting the same house number but the wrong street. We both moved into the neighborhood exactly 15 years ago. We are both Leo’s.
We got talking about where we lived before our current town and it turn out we both grew up in Fords, just two towns over. Now I am starting to think this is getting weird. There were so many coincidences but we continued talking and she mentioned her maiden name, which sounded familiar. She asked mine and then asked what street I grew up on and she said she had only lived a few blocks from there. We kept talking and finding more and more similarities. I though perhaps this was one of those hidden camera show's.
We had gone to the same grammar school and high school and we were both one of six children. Then she said, “Oh wow, you were in my brother Joey’s class!” All of a sudden, it hit me! That is where I recognized the name. I remembered him!
I remember him as far back as first grade! I was only six!
She was so thrilled she said, “Oh I have to call him and ask him if he remembers you.” Ahhh! I was freaking out…what are the odds he would remember me. What if she calls and he has no memory of me at all and it all becomes so embarrassing? She mentions to me that he is now a doctor and living near the beach. This as I’m sitting with hair gunk on my head and a big black cape on. She whips out her cell phone and starts dialing. I wanted to die. I felt myself getting so hot. Then I was sweating. I was so anxious.
She gets him on the phone and asks me to repeat my maiden name. She repeats to me “Oh my God, he says of course he remembers you.” Whew! At least I am no longer feeling anxious and like a loser. Then she walks over to me and says, “Here say hello.” And she hands me the phone…WHO DOES THIS? I MEAN SERIOUSLY. What do you say to someone you have not seen since you were like 10 years old?
The funny thing was he was so nice about it. He asked me about how my life was and told me it was nice to say hello after all these years. He is married with two children and was a pleasure to speak to. All that sweating for nothing! Ha!