Black shoes

In our town(as in yours, I imagine), there are always one or two people whom you see everywhere, but don't know. You see them in line at the drug store, in the market, at school for pick-up and orchestra concerts. In the coffee house. Maybe you nod to each other. Then, after some time passes and you're still running into one another, you may wave, or say "hi," even. But your paths never cross directly, or for long enough, to get to know each other.

Well, in my town there was always one woman in particular whom I saw everywhere. Mostly in our cars, picking up kids, or driving past one another through town.

One day this fall, in a pulmonologist's office on the other side of the county, this woman and I ended up sitting in the waiting room together! We waved, and nodded. Said "hi." Then I introduced myself. She got up and came and sat next to me. We talked about what she was knitting, where we got our hair cut (she had really cute, short hair), which schools our kids are in.

Then Lindsey's name was called, we said goodbye, and went in to the examining room.

I still see her every day in the car pick-up line at the middle school. For the first week or so, I would wave, try to catch her eye. She looked up once and nodded. But that was it. She never waved back, then or now.

I don't wave anymore, but I do occasionally look over as I drive up, to see if we make eye contact. Maybe she's just knitting.

There's another woman I met once, eight years ago, in a friend's kitchen. I see her occasionally, and I always wave and call her by name. At this point, I seem to take her by surprise. Often, I see her on her way out of Coffee Labs, trying to juggle her coffee and her keys, getting into her car as I drive by. She can't really wave back, but she always smiles and lifts her chin, as if to say "Oh, hi there!"

I wonder? Which is the norm?

More tomorrow. Thanks for reading.
tt