No way...

My throat was hurting all day and I felt on the cusp of sickness. Unfortunately I had neither soup nor juice at home. This was a problem with an easy solution: Trader Joes!

I went to Trader Joe's, and like any other night I stared numbingly at the line wrapping around the store.

"Whatever," I told myself, and made my rounds picking up bread, bananas, and then making my way to the crowded soup, pasta, and canned food isle.

While comparing the difference between a vegetable cream soup and a vegetable bisque, I noticed something that normally doesn't surprise me as much as this did: A beautiful girl.

She was tall, thin, lovely dark skin and hair, jeans and an overcoat. Very casual but stunning.

The real thing that caught my eye were her shoes. Sambas! "If only I was wearing my Sambas" I kept repeating to myself in my head. "If I only I was wearing my Sambas, I could talk to this girl." Why I felt like I couldn't talk to her without the shoes I do not know.

I could hardly take my eyes off her but knew I had to get in line and slowly make my way to the cashiers. I got in line, picked up some cheese and other items, and continued to look for her out of the corner of my eye. Finally, I spot her looking confused/lost around the cereal and yogurt. She makes her way to near me and reaches for some orange juice. A second or two later I do the same thing, and we make brief eye contact.

Ugh. I can't believe I still have this mustache. I must look ridiculous.

Another ten minutes go by and I am at a register. I haven't seen her since our encounter near the orange juice, and I try to get a glance of her again before exiting the store. Another brief moment of eye contact is all I crave.

Alas, she is hidden in a sea of people.

Sambas, Sambas, Sambas. Why am I so fixated on these shoes now?

I go home, unpack my groceries and power up my computer.

I wonder if I am going to be this lost with attractive strangers for the years to come? Sure there are lots of things that restrain me from saying anything to random people, but they are lame excuses.

I decide that I should do something that I have never done before. Doing this will be another step (in addition to this blog.. and Onion Personals) to becoming different.

So I type in the web address, go to the appropriate section, and click Post.

Yes! I am going to post a Missed Connection.

I am sure there was no connection in her eyes. I mean, I hardly even smiled when we came close to one another. It's nothing like I frequently read about. I didn't pick up an item she dropped on the ground and smile while handing it back. I didn't hold open the subway doors to let her catch the train.

But whatever. I don't expect any kind of response from this. If anything, this will hopefully bring some amusement to the bored New Yorkers who browse craigslist for connections they could be in or in the vicinity of. Hell, they usually amuse me.

I replay the encounter in my head and write out the things that were in my head most frequently. I agree to the terms and post. I check my email and publish.

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/mis/563020889.html

I feel better now that I did something more than I usually do. I have never posted a missed connection before but this seemed like a good opportunity to do so. She wouldn't see it and even if she did, it's doubtful she would remember a guy with a mustache. Most likely has a boyfriend and if she sees the post, she'll be flattered and show it to him and they'll have a good laugh over it.

My head is more clear now, and I decide to watch Cloverfield. The quality isn't great, but I will watch a better quality copy when one comes out.

...

Short movie, but not bad.

I go back to my computer and am ready to do about an hour of browsing the internet.

In my gmail it shows Inbox (1). I get my delete finger ready.

And there I see the Title.

yes! you posted a missed connection!

No way...