Extra Embarrassing

Shortly before Army and I met, a friend tried to set me up with her friend. I don't think either of us was interested in the other as anything more than friends, but my friend really did have good intentions in her attempt at playing cupid.

A few of us (girls) met him and a few of his friends at his apartment. The deal was they'd make us dinner if we'd make dessert. Sounded like a good trade off to me. I was surprised at how incredibly delicious their dinner was. As a freshman in college, I fixed a small plate so I wouldn't look like a complete pig. Although I would have loved seconds, I didn't dare go back. I had a very small light lunch that afternoon because I knew I'd be eating whatever they cooked for dinner and whatever we cooked for dessert. I. Was. Starving.

I had grand ideas for dessert. We were going to make a dessert that the guys thought they could only get in New Orleans. As we cleared the table, I noticed the mess the boys left in the kitchen. I was secretly pleased because I realized that I could snag another bite or two of the delicious dinner while they ran out to pick up a movie for us to watch after dessert.

I waited until they were safely out of the apartment and on their way to the store, and then I spooned a HUGE mouthful of dinner into my mouth as I danced around the kitchen. With a full mouth, I encouraged my friends to have another bite too. As I shoveled another bite in (and I'll shamefully admit that at this point I had a spoon in one hand and a fork in the other), I saw lights flash and heard a horn. My friend looked out the window of the apartment towards the parking lot, and there the guys were...watching us inhale their delicious food. They were cracking up. I was not. I have always turned red rather easily when I'm embarrassed. Thankfully they couldn't see me that well.

When they got back with the movies, they were greeted with a yummy dessert. They teased us unmercifully, then we watched the movie. The teasing went on for quite some time, and any shot we'd had at dating before was completely blown at this point.

About two and a half years later, Army got a fabulous summer job through a connection his brother had. He had a great boss, and really enjoyed getting to know him. Every time he mentioned his boss's name, I cringed. The guy had the same name as the person my friend tried to set me up with. I knew it couldn't be him though because he didn't know Army's brother and the guy had moved back to his hometown after college. Eventually he and Army began doing stuff outside work, and he invited us to his apartment one evening before going out. As we pulled up to the apartment, I was visibly squirming. I tossed question after question at Army about this guy because he lived in the same apartment complex as the guy from college. I kept reminding myself that I knew he had moved back home, so this guy could not possibly be the same guy from dinner. He also didn't work in the same field as the guy from college. As we walked up to the apartment door, I thought that it was a rather odd coincidence that Army's boss lived in the exact same apartment that I'd been in two and a half years before. Again, no way this guy could be the same guy...he'd moved back to his home town, he didn't know Army's brother, he was in a different field of work. Then he answered the door. The same guy answered the door. In lightening fast though, I debated acting like I didn't know him, but I was busted when he said, "Hi Lanny! I haven't seen you in ages. Come on in. Can I get you anything to eat?" I wanted to melt into the ground!

I never went out with them again. I decided it was a friendship Army could have, but I'd stay out of it. That worked well for me. Army's job was only a summer job, and although he and the guy remained friends for a while, they rarely saw each other once Army started med school. A few years later, my friend mentioned that the guy had once again moved back to his hometown. Dang if he wasn't in my town for a conference last week. Of all places, I ran into him at a restaurant. Lovely. Just lovely. Thankfully I had two adorable little girls with me. They were a great distraction from the fact that I just don't have my college body anymore...very likely due to that food shoveling I did in an apartment once upon a time.