I went to a fundraiser Saturday night.<\/p>\n
This is a big thing since I don’t go out much.<\/p>\n
It was part of the wife’s high school reunion group and there were over 300 people and some very loud 60’s style bands.<\/p>\n
It’s no surprise everyone around my age is deaf.
\nBut this isn’t about that.<\/p>\n
This is about being seated at a table with\u00a0nine of her girlfriends.<\/p>\n
The wife, as usual, was volunteering so I showed up on my own about an hour after it started.<\/p>\n
I timed it for when the buffet line opened.
\nOne has to be smart about this stuff.<\/p>\n
Almost anything is okay if there’s food.<\/p>\n
No other husbands were at this table – they had enough sense to stay home.<\/p>\n
This was either a good or a bad thing.<\/p>\n
On one side they’re all talking about whatever and I couldn’t understand a word being said because the bands were so loud.<\/p>\n
It’s always dangerous to be charming when one can’t hear the questions being asked.<\/p>\n
Being the token male I felt I had to be polite and engaged and sop up the love being aimed my way.<\/p>\n
For all I know I may have been nodding and smiling while being asked if I beat up any little old ladies or robbed a bank recently.<\/p>\n
Sometimes you just have to take your chances.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, being the only guy at the table I got a lot of hugs and I’m always up for that.<\/p>\n
But you have to be very careful how you return that hug.<\/p>\n
After all, these are the wife’s girlfriends and sometime they’ll talk on the phone and every detail and nuance of that hug will be discussed and dissected.<\/p>\n
There’s always a chance I may have stepped across some invisible line in the placement of a hand or how long it was before I let go, or what parts accidently or otherwise touched.<\/p>\n
Now, the wife isn’t jealous but these things can still be a minefield.<\/p>\n
You go into these things taking your chances and hoping the sun will shine the next day.<\/p>\n
It’s been 36 hours and nothing has been said.<\/p>\n
I may have dodged a bullet.<\/p>\n