Mere Minutes: An Unexpected Guest

Joseph and I arrived home at approximately 7:30. We unpacked the items purchased from Costco. Joseph proceeded to make a couple burgers, and I used the elliptical for about a half hour. I showered; he finished with supper. We put the newly purchased Iron Man into the DVD player and settled down for a quiet evening of Marvel superhero fun.

There we were, Joseph, the dogs, and I, watching Pepper Pots attempt to retrieve the wayward wire from Tony Stark's chest with her small hands when there came from our darkened doorway the doorbell's chime. The dogs sprung from their slumber and barked fervently at the darkness outside. As is our custom, I commanded the dogs into their room - yes, they have their own bedroom where they sleep - and Joseph answered the door. After a few seconds, Joseph told me to come out. I let the dogs out; I followed. Standing in our front hallway was the tall and lanky Chris, a former teammate and acquaintance.

Chris joined the Dragons, the softball team on which I played from 2006-2007, in the Dragons' second year. Tall and lanky, he was deemed Stretch by the manager. An odd sort of man, Chris came across as 'slow', at first, but his occasional show of talent and intelligence made us think he simply lacked the interest to excel. The manager subsequently ran him off the team; then again, the manager was not the nicest of people.

In any case, we stayed in intermittent contact with Chris after he left the team. We invited him and his girlfriend to our Christmas party and saw him out on the town at times after that. Most recently at Madison Pub on Capital Hill (Seattle neighborhood) when he informed me and Joseph that he had tried to stop by the house to say hello earlier in the summer. He said he'd stop by again if he had the chance...

And there he was. At 9:45 p.m. on a Friday. He had just finished his sales pitch to a woman who lives close to our house. And he wanted some water. Plus to say hello. We traded niceties for about five minutes and hit a dead zone. A pause of more than the acceptable 17 seconds in a conversation. Joseph and I sighed as Chris just looked around the house and smiled his enigmatic grin. After a few more somewhat agonizing minutes, he announced his intention to leave. And he left.

Joseph saw him out and then returned to the living room. He's a strange dude, Joseph said, but he's such a nice guy.

Uhh, yeah I replied.

We returned to the movie...

Iron Man, Iron Man, does whatever an iron can...