I lead a dual life. At school, in class, I am an extravert. I greet students in the hallway, make small talk, behave semi-normally. But, outside of school, I'm a recluse. I don't go out unless I have to and basically spend my time with my family and that's it.
Last weekend was Izze's birthday so I drove out Friday to bring her home for the weekend. As a break in the driving, I asked her to take me to one of the famous "best campus food in the country" dining halls before turning around and driving home. (sushi bar, cheesecake, and coffee if you must know (and all quite good I confess))
Now I know lots of my former students are at Umass but I had Dad hat firmly on and so I was taken aback when this college kid emerges from the crowd in the dining hall with a surprised "Mister Rideout?". Next thing you know I'm shaking hands with Skyler and he's filling me in on what he's up to. While we are eating, I ask Izze, "Think I'll run into any other WHS alums on the way out?"
Sure enough Bella calls me over on my way out and we chat for a moment as well. Then outside, we run into Trisha on her way in:
Sometimes I think about the fact that there are roughly 2000 adults out there that have spent a year listening (well, at least pretending to listen!) to me wax poetic about the beauty of physics and tell some bad jokes and the same old classic stories from my former life, but rarely have I had such an unexpected density of random encounters... Dare I say it was kind of nice???
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