RummyKub and Rockford Files

As much as I am enjoying Texas, the hardest part of the move for me is trying to meet people. I had hoped to have some involvement with a few local schools but it's taking more time to get my stylishly sandled feet through their doors than I'd expected.

So while I am waiting for the volunteer paperwork to go through in the local districts, and for the Texas teaching certificate to be awarded, and the tens of students who would like the assistance of my tutoring skills to swarm me with e-mails, I decided to find a friend.

That sounds so easy doesn't it...it's like when our moms used to tell us to go outside and find some friends because "Rockford Files" was about to come on and we were chasing siblings or pets around the house squealing and clanging anything that would make loud noises... And, like magic, when we went outside, there were actually kids to play with. 

As an adult, and one without a gig or kids, it's just not that easy anymore. Thank goodness for happenstance.

I walked over to the management office one afternoon and chit-chatted with the staff for a few minutes while I was picking up a package. As we were talking the subject of the heat came up - it's like rain in Seattle, always a part of the conversation. There was a shared concern for some of the elderly residents' health on these scorching days. I volunteered to be available to check in on folks they might be worried about, but couldn't get to.

Not wanting to just say "Me too! I'm lonely!" I said instead, "I am around. All day. I can help. Just call. Please." Desperation is difficult to camouflage.

Ms. A, a delightfully sweet southern lady who works in the office ponders the offer for a moment. "Well...now that you mention it, we do have a resident who I worry about. She's lonely and I think she'd just like some company every now and then. Can I give her your number?" 

The next afternoon I had a date to meet with Ms. M. We get together a few times a week and gab or play rummykub. She's an exquisite needle point artist so I imagine one day we'll knit and stitch together. We eat wafer cookies and one-up each other with stories about our grand-kids...

Wait, I don't have grandkids...