A New Leaf

I've become someone I never thought possible: Annoying Talkative Woman. I don't know how this happened. Could it be that I haven't participated in stimulating, uninterrupted, adult conversation in weeks? That I've gotten old and desperate? Whatever happened, I am THAT mom at the playground. And the grocery store. Oh, yeah, AND at my daughter's dance studio. Holy Jeez!
We moved away from our close circle of friends a year and 10 months ago (but who's counting?). At first, I reveled in the solidarity. Then I enjoyed my anonymity. And more recently, loneliness set in and I said I would try to make friends around here. At a very slow pace.
The girls and I walked to the park yesterday and were astounded to see the mirror image of ourselves approach from across the sand box. She was tall and blond with the same jogging stroller, a toddler and an infant. Weird. "How old are your girls?" she asked. SHE STARTED IT! We soon discovered that we had a mutual acquaintance at Shelby's preschool. Then "My Twin" waves down her friend who rocks up with another toddler and suddenly I'm smiling, extending my hand and verbalizing a formal introduction! I know! I was possessed by a charismatic, personable alien!
I had obviously crashed their play date and I was enjoying myself. I fell into step with these two women & kids as we chatted our way to feed the ducks (music), skipped along the walking path (louder music), and finally linked arms in a choreographed skip dance singing "The Hills Are Alive!" to a full symphony. By the time I'd left, I even had phone numbers.
The dance studio was even worse. Normally, I deliver Shelby to her dance teacher and back away from the viewing room as fast as possible. I seek solace in my car or on the sidewalk alongside the wall of windows outside her classroom. Anything to avoid a roomful of animated gossiping moms bouncing infants on their laps and chatting about kids and laundry. But not today. I dropped Shelby off at the classroom door and turned around to bump right into a parent I had met at last weekend's preschool party. "Hiiiiiii!" she sang and opened her arms in a welcoming embrace. She hugged me. And I hugged back. I KNOW!? We got to talking, and the next hour flew by as I made the rounds like some overzealous host at my own cocktail party.
I think I might have made some friends. (Stop biting your fingernails) I think I might get dressed before I go grocery shopping. I might run into someone I know.

Comments

JO said…
Pretty soon you are going to be too busy with your NEW friends to have time for bunco with all of us! (wink, wink - maybe)