you never know who you're gonna run into

Two nights ago, Shanna took me out for pre-birthday dinner. It was fabulous and lovely. Sushi at Duozo, where I must confess, I had the best spicy tuna roll of my life!

BOSTONIANS NOTE: Despite the inherently middle-of-the-road nature of the spicy tuna roll, I implore you to check out Duozo’s take on this gateway-sushi. Perfect ratios of tuna, spicy mayo, and light, flaky, crunchy tempura—it will make you re-think the roll entirely…But I digress.

After every last bit of the sushi had been eaten and every drop of the Soave drained, but before dessert (which sneaky Shanna ordered unbeknownst to me), I excused myself to the ladies. I walked out of the dining room, through the busy bustling bar area, where all the bar stools and bar tables were full. I paid attention to no one as I walked, feeling pleasantly sushi’d, pleasantly Soave’d, and thinking all the while about the fabulous spicy tuna roll I’d just eaten, and about how Shanna makes my life feel a little more fabulous in general.

I was still thinking about all of this when I exited the ladies room, and started back out through the bar area. But I was quickly jostled out of these thoughts when my eyes alighted upon a familiar face:

There sat my ex-fiance.

That’s right, the one who I just saw for the first time about a month ago. The one who moved to Texas, who I never thought I’d have cause to run in to in Boston again.

“Hi!” I said, walking over to the table where he sat with two of our mutual friends. “I didn’t even see you sitting here! Have you been sitting here the whole time???”

“Yes!” He said.

“So, I just walked right by you guys, nose in the air, like a total asshole? I feel so silly!”

“No, no, that’s okay! I didn’t realize you were here either,” he said. “I didn’t realize that was you walking by, until I recognized your jeans.”

Yes, that’s the Ex. He recognizes jeans.

“Yeah, I’m here having dinner with Shanna, see, she’s right down there!” And I pointed down to Shanna, who waved up at us from the dining room.

“That’s who that is!” The Ex said. “Yeah, you know, I knew I recognized that girl, but I couldn’t figure out where I knew her from! That’s right. And I didn’t even see you, since your back was facing us. I mean…well , I did see you…I just didn’t recognize you from the back of your head,” he said.

“It’s understandable,” I said. “I mean, it is the back of my head.” Though, after five years together, you’d think he’d recognize me by any body part, liltof tone, or gesture, no matter how obscured his line of sight.

“Yeah, I don’t know,” he said. I guess I just didn’t recognize the hair.”

And I smiled. “Yeah, I guess you wouldn’t!” I said.

What a difference a year makes.