Expect the Unexpected

My trip to Atlanta was more than just the wedding. When I arrived, I was greeted at baggage claim by Chris and Lisa. Chris and I were friends way back in 1988/89. We shared a college experience in Munich, Germany that was both fun and destructive. Chris is now a "grown-up", just like me. At one point in our conversation that first night in Atlanta, I happened to mention the unbridled love that I harbor for my energy efficient washer and dryer. Chris just shook his head and stated desperately, "We are so old!" Not so much - in my mind - but we are certainly older, and a long way from the dorm where we met and shared our youthful dance with substance abuse and complete irresponsibility.



Chris and Lisa will be married in December. They seem very well matched; a lot of that is due in part to Lisa's willingness to accept Chris' Star Wars Addiction (SWA). As they whittle down his collection in order to prepare for the merging of households, there are certain things he simply will not part with. I do believe, though, that he loves Lisa more than his Hans Solo frozen in liquid carbon mold, so they are off to a good start (although he did tell me that his collection will now "...focus on just Vader").


(Javi got a hold of my camera later and was completely entranced by this image: "That is coooool", he stated rather seriously. It is a boy affliction from the late seventies - watch out, ladies, you never know who might have SWA.)

I tucked myself in on their couch at 1AM EST, after a delicious pizza dinner and a couple of hours of sharing memories and bringing one another up to speed on our lives. Chris and I have not seen one another in 18 years - not since we both left Germany. He or I found one or the other via the internet about three years ago and have been keeping in touch via email off and on. Neither one of us can remember what precipitated the finding of each other; and neither of us is one hundred percent certain who initiated the search. It doesn't matter - I am happy to know Chris again. He always had this great generous heart and a fabulous sense of humor. None of that has changed - I have found in my life that the important stuff kind of sticks.

Know what I mean?


(Yoda made for an excellent roommate, as he did not complain about my snoring.)