8/25/03

Mondays are tough after a good weekend. Thankfully Ryan stopped by this morning and asked me what I did over the weekend. He jogged my memory and rather than focusing on my work obligations I started to think about what a nice weekend I had.

I wrote a little about it in the blog but didn't mention the minivan. Deb and I were in a park near the restaurant we chose for our date. We walked past a group of about fifteen people that had gathered around what looked to be a brand new Chrysler minivan.

In the middle of the group was a stocky person, of indeterminable sex, standing with his/her arm extended toward the van. At the end of the person's arm was a remote control aimed at the minivan.

The rear hatch of the minivan was rising and lowering, on it's own, apparently at the command of the sexless person.

The entire crowd ooo'd. Then they awww'd as all fifteen heads, with mouths wide open, simultaneously followed the path of the moving door.

Deb jerked at my hand to quicken our pace so the minivan worshippers wouldn't hear us laughing at them.

People are funny.

Funny: Ha-ha. Funny: Peculiar.

We took a trip down the peculiar path this weekend. I should preface by saying when you know someone that works in the law enforcement community you hear things about people familiar to you that you shouldn't know. Then after you hear about it you wish you didn't know.

Deb and I heard something disturbing about a person that we both care about. Of course I'm being intentionally vague so you won't find any details here or anywhere else as far as I'm concerned.

Then why even bring it up?

I'm not sure. I guess I wanted to talk about my arrogance in thinking that I know everything there is to know about my family, friends and acquaintances. For sanity's sake I place everyone I know into convenient, easily accessible boxes that I pull off some shelf in my head. Whenever I see you or have a conversation that involves you I reach for this simplistic encapsulation of who you are to me.

Truth is, I don't know you. And the fact that I ever thought I could know you (good, bad or otherwise) is an insult. I'm sorry.

So we're basically strangers. From this starting point maybe I can make strides to become less presumptuous, more reactive and hopefully a better friend, relative, husband, father, etc.

I think the best way to get started down this new, unfamiliar path would be for you to send me some sort of gift. Something that would help me understand how you perceive who I am which would create the foundation for meaningful dialog.

How meaningful? It's a sliding scale. However I can provide some examples that might help:

A Nice Fruit Basket - Slightly meaningful. We'll talk, split a banana, find out if we squeeze the toothpaste from the bottom (like it's supposed to be done) or the middle.

Sony Consolidated Remote Control - Meaningful. Nature of the universe and where we fit in it sort of stuff.

Laptop Computer - Very meaningful. There's no way this one will end without a teary embrace.

Motorcycle - Extremely meaningful. You'll walk away feeling as if we were conjoined twins. Call me.

What do you say? Let's get started today!