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Chance Encounters
Jul. 6th, 2008 11:32 amSo, sure enough, as soon as I decide to use Sunday Scribblings for prompts, the first two they post don't really apply to me.
I never have chance encounters. I've never accidentally bumped into a celebrity. The last time I saw someone from high school in a mall, I ducked out of sight and kept walking... they probably wouldn't have recognized me anyway, but the avoidance was mostly instinctual.
Perhaps my only chance encounter happened when the Coliseum movie-theatre opened in Ottawa. We all went to see Armageddon - the blockbuster that was basically playing on all screens for the grand opening. As we were walking into the theatre, a good-looking tall girl with long strawberry-blond hair stopped in from of me and said my name like she knew me, followed by "How are you?!" So, not wanting to admit that I had no idea whoshe was, I played along. "Good good. We're just coming to check out the movie...how are you?" I carefully didn't try to introduce my brother or his friend.
Then, as she spoke, the features on her face did the most bizarre thing I have ever seen (and what makes it more bizarre, is that it all happened inside my head). Suddenly, her facial features seemed to shift into recognizable places. What I thought was clear skin, developed a light freckling. Her cheek bones slid slightly higher. Her jaw became more square. Suddenly, the long-hair no longer caught my eye - and then I probably blew my cover, because I think I said "Leah!"
And sure enough, my best-friend through most of my elementary school years stood infront of me, a good half-foot taller, as she always was...her normally short hair, hanging down passed her shoulders.
My favorite memories of Leah all pretty much happened in Grade 3. I suppose, because that's the age my long-term memory finally solidified. I remember us walking back from gym class, asking each other why the heck we were friends with each other - "But why do you like me?!" and our answers were pretty much the same - "You're like me. You're sort of tomboyish. You're funny. We have a good time." It was deep for nine-year-olds.
In Grade 4, Leah went to a different school. We got together every few months, and spoke on the phone constantly for a good many years after that...but eventually, we drifted apart. The movie threatre was the first time I had seen her for a very long time. At one point after that I tracked her down, and went over to her place to catch up. It was either just before I was to start university, or just before I was to go to Germany. I remember what shirt I wore - mainly, because it was black, and I missed the bus after leaving her place and had to walk for more than half an hour in the hot sun.
I hear she is married now.
I often want to run into her again, just to see if her face will do that shifting thing halfway through our opening pleasantries.
I never have chance encounters. I've never accidentally bumped into a celebrity. The last time I saw someone from high school in a mall, I ducked out of sight and kept walking... they probably wouldn't have recognized me anyway, but the avoidance was mostly instinctual.
Perhaps my only chance encounter happened when the Coliseum movie-theatre opened in Ottawa. We all went to see Armageddon - the blockbuster that was basically playing on all screens for the grand opening. As we were walking into the theatre, a good-looking tall girl with long strawberry-blond hair stopped in from of me and said my name like she knew me, followed by "How are you?!" So, not wanting to admit that I had no idea whoshe was, I played along. "Good good. We're just coming to check out the movie...how are you?" I carefully didn't try to introduce my brother or his friend.
Then, as she spoke, the features on her face did the most bizarre thing I have ever seen (and what makes it more bizarre, is that it all happened inside my head). Suddenly, her facial features seemed to shift into recognizable places. What I thought was clear skin, developed a light freckling. Her cheek bones slid slightly higher. Her jaw became more square. Suddenly, the long-hair no longer caught my eye - and then I probably blew my cover, because I think I said "Leah!"
And sure enough, my best-friend through most of my elementary school years stood infront of me, a good half-foot taller, as she always was...her normally short hair, hanging down passed her shoulders.
My favorite memories of Leah all pretty much happened in Grade 3. I suppose, because that's the age my long-term memory finally solidified. I remember us walking back from gym class, asking each other why the heck we were friends with each other - "But why do you like me?!" and our answers were pretty much the same - "You're like me. You're sort of tomboyish. You're funny. We have a good time." It was deep for nine-year-olds.
In Grade 4, Leah went to a different school. We got together every few months, and spoke on the phone constantly for a good many years after that...but eventually, we drifted apart. The movie threatre was the first time I had seen her for a very long time. At one point after that I tracked her down, and went over to her place to catch up. It was either just before I was to start university, or just before I was to go to Germany. I remember what shirt I wore - mainly, because it was black, and I missed the bus after leaving her place and had to walk for more than half an hour in the hot sun.
I hear she is married now.
I often want to run into her again, just to see if her face will do that shifting thing halfway through our opening pleasantries.
