Say my name

I've been starting to go out more and more in public places this past year but still tend to stay away from crowded places or have much real interaction with people.  The biggest step has been eating in hotel restaurants or shopping for a few things.  This week would be no different however the hotel did not have a restaurant and I knew I would have at least two nights and maybe three to get fully dressed and leave the hotel.

Night one I was dressed by 2:30 in the afternoon and ran a few errands, tried on shoes at TJ Maxx and a show store, looked for tights in Target, bought beer and wine at the grocery store, bought pantyhose at Walgreen's, and finally went to dinner.  As you can tell I like being out and probably could have bought everything I got at 3 of the stores I went to.  But those are easy interactions, they have to ring you up at the register and the rest I just simply pass by.  For dinner at the early time of 4:30 I stopped in a small Mexican restaurant that had only a few customers.  I got a booth and did some work on my laptop while waiting for dinner and a beer.  Then back to the hotel very early.

Night two left little to do but get dinner.  This time I was not ready until near 6  and traffic was terrible so I didn't want to go far.  I headed out and ended up at Hooligans, a sports tavern.  The parking lot was not crowded, but a younger guy and I were headed from different directions towards the door at the same time but I may have been slightly ahead.  I was wondering would he get the door? should I hold it for him and let him go first?  I opened it, walked in and held it splitting the difference.  There were some people at the bar. and only one other booth occupied so I took a booth and the guy got a table. It was uncrowded and somewhat dark so I felt comfortable to eat there and not just get get a drink and takeout.

A few more people started to arrive as I got a beer and ordered a tuna melt.  Now some were sitting with me in full side view under the TVs the were watching.  (insert watching tv no matter what joke here).  Then they started to bring out the poker table tops and get them set up at the table right across from me for tuesday poker night.    They bring the lights up and have two tables set up while I'm still waiting for my sandwich.   Now everyone in that area is at a table just a few feet away with many of them facing my direction waiting to play poker.  I just type away on my computer and smile at the screen a bit so I don't look so serious/nervous although I never got too nervous, just awkward, not what I had planned for.

Now I just want them to start poker so that everyone has something to pay attention to.  As they are ready to begin a woman slightly younger than me comes over and asks if I'm there for poker.  I tell her no and she tells me I should put away my computer and play later and she introduces herself as Shannon so naturally I introduce myself as Nancy.  For the first time ever to anyone.  "I'm Nancy".  I'm sure I have said something like that before to myself in the mirror but I don't know that I've ever said that to anyone.  I don't have conversations with people, I pass casually.

Poker starts, food comes and I try to eat ladylike while everyone is occupied.  As I finish I am sitting and Shannon is out, she lost quickly.  She comes and sits next to me in the booth, our arms are touching slightly.  We have a conversation, I know quite a bit about Shannon, kids, career, boyfriend, while I tried not to say anything but ask her about poker and herself.  We must have talked for 5-10 minutes.  Eventually the check comes, I pay, and she gets up and I go to the car and back to the hotel.  I have no idea what she thought but she was so nice and I will never forget tonight.