Close Encounters of the Nerd Kind

My recent posts have been quite somber, and I am still under the weather nearly a week after coming down with the flu. Things with my family are far from perfect, and the big confrontation is likely days away.

All of the above is true; there is a great deal of turmoil in my life right now.

But that is not all there is.

Life is rarely just one thing - thankfully, in this case.

Sometimes there is humor - even if it shows just how deeply, totally uncool you truly are.

And as proof, a short anecdote about last night. It involves - who else? - April. :c)


April texted me yesterday morning asking if I wanted to chat on the phone later that evening.

While I knew nearly 90% of the conversation would rotate around cars - luckily, she has to pause for oxygen from time to time - I said sure.

When the appointed hour came, and I texted Miss A.

No reply.

I tried again 30 minutes later.

Again, nothing.

I tried a third time.

Same result.

Finally, I sent a short text saying I was calling it a night shortly and wishing her pleasant dreams.

This time she replied.

She had fallen asleep for several hours after getting home from work.

No problem, I replied. We can make it tomorrow night, OK?

Tomorrow?!? she replied instantly. I was really hoping we could talk tonight.

Asleep for two hours with no mention of cars; she's in withdrawal, I thought to myself. God… she is such a dork!

Sure, no problem, I replied.

It can be like a brief pre-conference hello, she texted back.

Being a super-cool, with-it, impress-the-guys student of history, I immediately thought of a witty reply:

Just like Yalta!

Ha-ha-ha! I thought. That's pretty clever!

And I started to type…

Only to see the following reply:

Just like Yalta!

Oh.

My.

God.

I pondered the implications:

I was a dork too.

I mean, April is Canadian; she can't help being that way.

But me…

I know the Bruins are a hockey team - her country's sport!

I know music continued to be made after 1964!

I don't pronounce "about" as "a-boot"!

How do I explain… this?!?

Sigh.

I did what I always do when my sense of self is threatened, and I need to reestablish my bonafides as a girl of the street:

I dug up the Nancy Drew books I, uh, "borrowed" from my sister when we were kids and started re-reading again.

Ah… dignity restored!

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Some seasonal music for you, from Low, an indie-rock trio from Minneapolis.