Sylvia

This evening as I picked up a few things at Target, I turned when I heard my name. 

I often see students and former students when I'm out and about, but it's rare that they either 1) notice me (the solipsism of childhood) or 2) actually approach me on their own, and so my interactions with them are often limited to a wave or an awkward conversation. 

Tonight was an exception, though. The student who spotted me came right over and initiated a conversation. "Are you here for more Jolly Ranchers?" she asked, and what followed was a perfectly appropriate interaction between two people who know each other and run into each other unexpectedly.

I shouldn't have been surprised though. When I asked all the students what they had been up to in the time that I was away for Heidi's dad's funeral, she posted, "I went to Ikea and crocheted."

"You are an old soul," I laughed. "That sounds like a very nice weekend."