Meeting Friends

Have you ever thought about how you met your friends? Do you continue to meet people and wonder if they could also be friends? Do you pursue a friendship, or do you cast it aside as a chance meeting?

I was having drinks with some buddies at our local sports bar tonight. I don't get out that often, choosing to come home after work to be with my wife and kids. Sometimes, however, you just need to get out with your buddies and shoot the shit about sports, music and other things. That was what I did tonight.

While we were talking, one of my buddies drew my attention to a pretty girl sitting by herself, watching the dart league that was going on. I usually recognize people in this bar, but I'd never seen her before. In my gazing about, our eyes met. I smiled and quickly returned to the discussion with my buddies.

After a few minutes, my buddy nudged me and said "she's sitting right down there", two bar stools down to my left. I wasn't paying attention, but he was.

I turned, smiled at her and said something to acknowledge her presence. She responded and we proceeded to engage in conversation. Over the next hour, I was treated to someone that talked to me as a friend, although we'd only just met. I thought to myself that my wife would love her and our friends would be equally enchanted with her.

We spoke of children and teenagers, a common ground. We spoke of the influence we bring to bear on our children, in hopes that it would serve them well when they're on their own. We spoke of choices, made by us and our kids, hoping that their choices would not saddle them in life, but allow them to live free.

My buddies were pissed, having no chance to talk with her, sitting beyond me at the bar. My feeling was "screw you", if you wanted to engage in a conversation with her, you had your chance and blew it.

For me, I just feel fortunate to have met someone that I could have a conversation with and walk away with the feeling that I may have met a new friend.