Tuesday, July 15, 2008

the man in the park

Dr. Normal isn't much of a people person. It isn't that he can't get along with people... it's more that often it isn't worth the time expended to get along with people. He's a busy guy and between his adoring family, his music, strange love and his day job he often doesn't have time for himself let alone meeting new people, so imagine my surprise when he learned that a twitter pal of ours was in town and he invited him to join us at a concert and picnic in Sellwood Riverfront park.

Are you imagining it? My surprise that is...

We were already planning to attend with some other friends of ours, and I had already met Gary at a Portland tech event and liked him instantly, but I am not Dr. Normal... which is to say that even though I don't LOVE meeting people I also don't shy away from it the way a vampire would hide from the noonday sun. None the less I hadn't imagined it. Dr. Normal had actually asked some one to join us solely so that he could meet him... what kind of parallel universe had I landed in?

I went about my business preparing for our picnic, doing the shopping, making the sandwiches, helping K prepare fruit salad and looking forward to a pleasant evening under the big blue sky, near the river I love so dearly.

We walked the mile to the park and settled in a big open area that was filled with families playing tag, soccer, frisbee and racing each other to and fro while we filled our plates with carefully prepared dishes from our own kitchen and that of our dear friends' and we ate and laughed until Dr. Normal got the most enormous mosquito bite I had ever seen and then moments later Lia chimed in that she thought she saw Gary off in the distance.

Dr. Normal cursed.... we took pictures of his bug bite (right on the edge of his hairline at the top of his forehead) so he could see it. He was frustrated by it and trying to cover it with his hair when I walked off to wave Gary and his 2 kids over to our blankets. I thought he was just being funny. I thought maybe he was being a bit odd and vain... I didn't realize yet that he was meeting his man crush!

The rest of our evening was spent nibbling on fruit salad and watching as K played with our new friend's daughter and listening in abject horror as Dr. Normal talked at Gary until we were all afraid his ears would bleed... He was so intent upon meeting and talking to him that I'm not sure he took a single breath.

But boy was it nice to see Dr. Normal smile...

8 comments:

belle said...

That is a HUGE bite! It needs a hat all of its own.

But apart from that it sounds like a fabulous day.

Jo Beaufoix said...

Dr Normal is very like Mr B. He doesn't like meeting new people too much. It's so cute that the doc went to all that effort then was foiled by an insect bite. Hee hee. Sounds like a fabulous day though.

Bubblewench said...

That's cool.... glad it was fun.

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

Awwww....the cuteness!

gwalter said...

For the record, I held my own in that conversation. I was impressed that Dr. Normal is not. In fact, he may appear normal, but is quite bright and thoughtful.

I want to write about his elevator experience, but it's not mine to write about. What an amazing story!

sybil law said...

I saw that picture - who can blame him? That bite was humongous!
Still - that's funny, watching him all nervous and talky.
Cute.

Anonymous said...

That's just cute. :)

holly said...

my husband not only dislikes meeting new people, he will go out of his way to see people in general, and goes out of the room if people come to our house.

did i mention he is a lecturer?

he does have lecturer friends, and it is so cute when they get together and talk. guitars and stuff. trying to be cool. "look at what chord i can play!" and such. "yes but look at my queen t-shirt!" etc.