New Friends

I would have to say that I'm not the most open or trusting of people, by any means. I have enough reasons to doubt and second guess everyone and all intentions, several times over. Call it circumstance, happenstance, or what have you, it's what makes me me.

I don't make friends easily and I don't care to share or disclose freely. Unless I either know that I will never see the person again, or it's in my semi-anonymous blog of my thoughts. Odd I'm sure, but true.

I do disclose with my very close friends. I'm not one to openly become your "best friend" by any means. Friendships are very near and dear to me and I would do almost anything for my friends, almost.

This weekend I was introduced to my son's basketball coach's wife. He was eager to introduce us since he happened to disclose to me a few days prior her new job, which in fact is working in the same field. I have to say that I did/do like the woman. I also have to admit that I'm not great with names. Someone can introduce themselves and I seem to block their names, almost as if I've assessed that it is of unimportance because the likelihood that I will speak to them again is low. Hence this causes difficulty for me when I learn this is in fact incorrect. Like in the case with this woman.

Fortunately I wasn't alone as about five minutes into the conversation she asked me my name again; however, this opened the door to ask her her name again, which I did not, therefore acknowledging that I also didn't recall her name. I seriously over analyze everything, too much. She did happen to reference herself during our conversation so I was enlightened to hear and remember her name, although I would have sworn that was not her name.

Our hour long conversation was actually quite in depth. It was like an hour long interview per se or like getting in touch with a sister-in-law of a lost friend that you may or may not have ever met. You know the ones? We discussed the job, training, kids, blended family, marriage, divorce, step-children, education, families, weight, acceptance to name a few. She must have said half a dozen times that we should get our children together as they would be great for each other. Her step-son and my son are both eleven. They seem a little old to force the "play date".

Maybe I'm too cynical. I couldn't help but to just stand there and listen to her suggestions thinking that we will never get the kids together. Is that wrong? What keeps me from allowing others to get to know myself or my son outside of the realm of the situation that brought us together?