Connections

Now I know this is a small island.  Heck, even in Charlotte, I loved making connections.  But this is ridiculous down here ... and I love it!  Decided to venture out tonight for some pizza - the problem with working from home is that by the end of the day, I am going stir-crazy and ready to get out.  So I headed down to the Lost Dog - walked in and didn't recognize anyone, grabbed a seat at the bar.  Immediately the couple next to me offered to buy me a drink and share their pizza.  Again, natives of St Croix, but the woman spent the past 20 years living in Winston, NC!  The guys to my left all work for the oil refinery here - originally from Philly and Houston (where I spent 3 months working) - and one of the guys used to live in the Chicago suburbs.  Then made a new friend Jason - who happens to live in the house next door to me.  We both recognized each other from other outings around the island - he's originally from Iowa and has since been living in Georgia!

Today at work I was chatting with my friend Sarah who remembered that her husband has a friend who lives in STX ... well come to find out, I haven't met her yet, but I frequent the beach bar that she works at quite often!  Jason said he already knows her after living here for 2 weeks and said I'll have to hit the day shift to see her there.  I told the story to my friend Kirby as well, and of course she already knows her too!

Then sounds like another small town IL girl is out here, originally from Lomax (about 20 miles from where I grew up).  My friend Bryan said she is a friend of our mutual friends from home (granted, Bryan and I met in Charlotte, but have connections in IL and SC and seemingly everywhere in between!).  He's going to get back to me with her name, but given she's a dive instructor, she surely knows my friend Jeff or landlord Michele - or probably both!

Just got home and sitting here listening to my Bradley Braves.  Sam Maniscalco just hit a 3 to tie up the game - reminds me of when I was in a bus in Sydney, Australia earlier this year.  Heard some other Americans talking, and when the one mentioned University of Illinois, I asked where she was from - Chicago.  I said Peoria, and her response was "my best friend plays basketball there for Bradley" - that's right, he was even the Missouri Valley Conference player of the week that week back in the states - and I'm sitting in a bus in Australia with his best friend from childhood.  My brother just called me on Skype, so got to see him in his red housecoat at our townhouse, putting up Christmas decorations.  Made me think of one of my all time favorite movies, Christmas Vacation.  Love feeling not so far from home =)