She has a tennis racquet on her key chain. I play tennis. This is TOO good to be true. I try not to look anxious – kind of like not wanting to look like I put out on the first date. But, I’m so excited.
So, I find a scrap receipt in my purse and write down my phone number. Yes, giving out the digits on the first meeting is totally acceptable. I even know several military spouses that have business cards with their contact info and they give them out like candy.
I’m going to make the first move.
Maybe I’ll compliment on her scarf or maybe I’ll comment on how well-behaved her kids are – well, barely behaving. I’ve summoned the courage. I walk over to her with a sliver of confidence and then….BAM! She gets up and walks away to meet another friend she had been waiting on.
Uh, oh!
I’m stuck in the awkward stance, clearly trying to disguise my missed-timed approach.
She stares at me for a second without curiosity – more like absurdity, then turns away and I suddenly feel ridiculous and alone.
Rejected.
I make up some sad story about her in my head to make myself feel better. I conclude she has Xenophobia (phobia of strangers) and I give her the stink eye just to make her nervous. My vision of my first friend in this new place has been crushed.
But, I know that life is lonely without “that” friend you can depend on.
Heck, I just need to find someone to list as my emergency contact at the children’s school.
Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
I felt like such a loser when the secretary at the school gave me the “pity face” because I didn’t know anyone yet.
I had amazing friends at my last base. The friendship-dating scene bites in Ohio.
Just when I was feeling hopeless, a military spouse came to my rescue. See, I have an amazing friend, Carrie, who lives in Virginia. We were stationed together in Texas a few years back. She recognized that not only was I moving to Ohio, but also so was another friend of hers, named Crystal, living in Virginia.
She introduced us via Facebook. We began an “online” friendship and eventually realized we were going to be living in nearby neighborhoods. (OK, so there is a friendship dating service – Facebook)
