I’m a mom on a playground. Just minding my own business.
Soon, Cool Baby is playing with another kid his age. They are acting quite civilized, but also having a lot of fun.
I look up and see his mother. She looks cool. We strike up a conversation and find that we have something in common (though not the coolness). I realize that I would love to have another mom friend to hang out with. Or at least to have the Cheers theme song start up in my head whenever I open the park gate.
After some quality chatting, one of us inevitably has to go home. There may be a brief pause as a crucial moment comes upon us.
Do we exchange digits? Or risk never seeing each other again?
If the chemistry is right, there will certainly be an exchange. At least of email addresses. Phone or email tag may follow.
But if it’s meant to be…somehow….somewhere…we’ll end up on a playdate together. And our kids will easily share their most treasured toys with each other while we laugh about how small our apartments are and how much we love our city.
I think it’s funny that those feelings never go away… I guess I’ll have to just accept the fact that I’ll never be the cool one that all the other dads just have to hang with.
The secret is that we are the cool ones. The other dads just don’t (and never will) know it!
I think we feel the same way here in a new place. As part of a team who has moved to a new country and culture, we often joke about it. After meeting new people, we find ourselves evaluating how much other people “like us” and hoping for follow-ups! Rather than dating, we equate it to Junior High feelings of insecurity.
What about passing a note: Would you like to go to church with me? Check YES or NO.