A Chance Encounter and Car Wash Cards

Decked out in a fancy-ish sundress with heels heading to a 50th birthday party, I had about 10 minutes while the department store wrapped her present to find an awesome card for a stunning and special friend.

I LOVE card shopping and truly enjoy finding the perfect one. It’s almost like an art…being a clever and thoughtful card giver. Almost like being an outstanding present giver, which I like to think I am as well doing much better at giving than receiving.

Ten minutes in a card store + ME = Not long enough!

I was lured into my favorite card store, Papyrus, by a large sign in the window.

“Buy Three, Fourth Free!”

Who am I kidding? It didn’t matter if the cards were on sale or ten dollars each. I needed one in the next few minutes.

And yet… I wasn’t the only one operating on the “Let’s see how close we can cut it” schedule, for an important event, shopping at the very last minute on Sunday of Labor Day weekend. On the same quick pace as me was a smartly dressed guy. 

Seeing him first in the Neiman Marcus ladies department (obviously shopping for a wife or lady-friend), browsing the home gifts area and then, again, behind me at gift-wrap. And guess who showed up next door at the card store all in a hurry?

When the door jingled signaling the arrival of a new customer, I heard a deep voice say “Hello”, in greeting to the store clerk. 

Then, “You’re in the same boat as me.” said the same voice while looking over my shoulder.

“Looks like it.” I replied glancing up but also thinking, “Let’s respect personal space, Pal!”

I was a little nervous because I’d be spending the next ten or so minutes standing close to this stranger. Why? I like to card shop alone. I often burst out laughing, definitely giggle, at the raunchiest ones or even slightly inappropriate where my eyes generally gravitate. They tear up (okay, tears do stream) more than occasionally at the sentimental and thoughtful cards. It’s what I adore about card shopping; the emotions, thinking of a person, the PRIVACY!

Apparently, this dude wasn’t going anywhere and was in it for the long haul or in both our cases about 15 minutes until our presents were wrapped. We remained relatively quiet for the first few.

He laughed first. Loudly. And I immediately thought, “We’re going to be okay here together.”

Then I giggled and he asked, “Which one's so funny?”

So I handed it to him and he laughed louder than me. Recognizing a kindred spirit with the same stupid sense of humor is always a relief. We looked directly at each other for the first time and smiled.

Reaching around and across each other, being just a little bit in each other’s way, he suggested as he knelt down, “I’ll take the bottom half and you look at the top. Then we’ll switch.”

“Huh?” was all I could think but said, “Sounds like an idea.”

We had a good partnership going on here. Finishing with success, I approved his selection for his friend and he, mine.

I grabbed a few extra because it was 3 for 4 after all! Besides, my friends know they get their birthday cards from me whenever I find the “right” one without regard to the actual date of their birth.

Reaching the door first, I held it open for him to pass. He thanked me graciously and returned the favor at the next one as we headed into Neiman’s to collect our gifts.

I never caught his name even though we’d spent virtually the last hour together.

As we rode the escalator up from gift-wrap stacked with our packages, I said, “You should try the car wash in Hinsdale sometime. They have the very best cards around.”

“Sounds like an idea.” He said with a smirk.

It’s always very interesting to me reflecting on the people who randomly cross our paths. You wonder if they ever will...cross again.

Do you really expect or want them to and what does it mean if they do?