Blooger.com

Work was work. The morning came too early and bedtime continues to be too late.

But one thing certainly did make today different.

When I called Caleb after I left work, he told me that we would be visiting one of his high school friends who is in town from Oklahoma. I asked when, he said tonight. I asked where, he said Highland. I asked how late, he said nine.

Here's the first difference. Nine pm is late to me; this hasn't always been the case, as I've been able to stay up until the wee hours of the morning, only to fully function the next day. But now that I'm old and married, the sooner we get to sleep, the better! This adds to my suspicions that I am growing a farty and prudish shell around my party-tacular self and I am more than displeased with that.

Second difference - When Caleb is around my friends or our neighbors, he's pretty chill. There may be the occasional Transformers outbursts or loud exclamation at a particular point in the conversation, but he isn't really ever perpetually rambunctious. But, when he is around his friends from his teenage years, he is a whole different Caleb. There are the "remember the times" and the sticking verbal jabs and the general ease that is missing in most other social settings. It was nice to see him in his natural element, catching up with all of his friends that he has been so loyal to for so long.

It makes me wonder what it would be like if he felt that comfortable around the people we hung out with now. I would probably have to compete for attention, which is not my favorite thing in the world. But, it's still a fun dream to have.

Third and last difference - I'm not a stranger person. If I don't know you, I won't really try to talk to you (unless I'm getting paid to - I'm looking at you, Archiver's!). It's just my thing and my style and heaven knows it scares me to death to do anything else. So, when I walked into a room of people I'd never met before (save one), I expected to let Caleb do all the talking and that was that. Caleb was even grilled on the way over, as to what the approach of conversation would be and how I could best add to it in a way that wasn't out of place. The point is that when I came in, I got so many hugs and so many kind words and questions that needed long, drawn out answers. Essentially, I felt like I'd known these people for years, just like Caleb.

It was a fun night all around. But, I'm still SO not a stranger person.