In our infinite wisdom, My Mukor and I decided to go to a popular restaurant on a Saturday night in Los Angeles. For those of you unfamiliar with the craziness that is Los Angeles, on Friday and Saturday nights most popluar restaurants will have a wait time of 30 - 45 minutes before a table is available for 4. There are some restaurants that have an even longer wait.
Having lived in Los Angeles for some time, we have learned a few short cuts that shave five or ten minutes from the wait time. One of these short cuts is what we call the bail-and-park. The bail-and-park is where one adult dives out of the moving vehicle to put your party's name on the restaurant waiting list while the other adult parks the car.
I'm usually the designated "bailer" while My Mukor is the "parker".
After I had given our name to the hostess of the restaurant, I took the fancy pager (estimated wait time: 15 minutes) and stood next to the bar to watch the local news playing on one of the huge televisions.
Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me...
Random Guy: Why, hello! [Touched my shoulder]
Me: Hi! [With exuberance]
This guy looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn't place him. However, his greeting reminded me of how my former coworkers greeted me, so I figured it was someone from there.
Instead of hugging this guy, as I would have almost any of my former coworkers, I tapped him on the chest with my hand.
I don't know why I did that.
My only excuse is that it seemed like a fairly benign greeting assuming this was I guy I knew and just couldn't immediately place. As it turns out, when the guy smiled after I tapped him on the chest, I really, honestly, and truly had NO IDEA who this guy was.
Random Guy: [About to give me a hug before seeing the look of "Who the heck are you?" on my face, but he was still smiling] Karen?
Me: [Smiling back] Nope.
Random Guy: Are you... [sure? was what he was about to say - like I was a blind date who suddenly decided to play a cruel joke or something on him]
Me: [Before the guy could embarrass himself further by completing his suspicious question, I said] I haven't seen any other ladies hanging around here. You should try the bar.
Random Guy: [Looking completely confused] Oh... yeah, thanks.
He walked away while I was battling complete mortification. I TOUCHED the guy for crying out loud in a familiar and friendly way! On the CHEST!! Oh, shoot me now.
Meantime, My Mukor and kiddos hadn't yet entered the restaurant. My pager buzzed. Our table was now available.
As the hostest walked me to our table, I noticed Random Guy walking back to the entrance of the restaurant scanning the bar and looking completely lost and confused.
To make a long story short (too late), I waved to my family as they arrived, and I proceeded to tell My Mukor all about what happened. He, of course, thought it was hilarious.
Later I saw Random Guy at a table for 12 people celebrating a birthday. He seemed to know everyone there, so what is the deal?
Is Karen his blind date to a birthday party?
I dunno, but it was weird.
8 comments:
At least you're not the type greet someone with a kiss on the cheek. Awkward.
That is very strange. I hate that weirdness when someone knows you (or really thinks they do) and you have absolutely no idea who they are.
Could he have a really bad memory? Did he know you, but forget your name? Did he forget he went to the restaurant for a birthday party, see you and think he was there for a date?
Or did his encounter with a beautiful, mercurial woman put a serious wobble in his gyroscope?
ATBD: That was my first instinct, but thank goodness reason prevailed and ALL I did was touch him. Eww...
DJ: My Mukor is constantly in a state of awkwardness since he instantly forgets names upon hearing them. I think people think the panicked look on his is his normal greeting face.
Don: LOL, perhaps, Don, perhaps. Perhaps seeing this beautiful, mercurial woman got him so dizzy, he then went over to me and got confused *wink*.
You are devious, darling. You are devious.
Oh, so glad you didn't decide to hug him. That would have been hysterical though.
You have been known to hug strangers...when you were with me...when you were 5...lol. You thought your Mom knew him better than I did actually. Once you hugged him, I had to say hello, though I didn't remember his name.
Heh, well that was kind of awkward. I hope you still had a good meal in that restaurant. You also have a pretty good idea for waiting. Parking can take a pretty long time, and getting out to hold on to that pager could speed up the wait for service.
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