Friday, July 25, 2008

Missed Connections

An odd thing happened on my way to work. I was running a little late, mostly because I dread coming here so much and I wanted to stay with Casey. But alas, I had to leave. As I sat on the train I noticed a guy that looked somewhat familiar so I scanned my brain trying to figure out how I would know him. School? No. Some show? No. Then it came to me.... I met him here. The guy I was trying not to stare at was someone I met on this very train and spoke to for all of one minute in 2004! You might be wondering how I could possibly remember that. Well, the story gets weirder. When we briefly met in 2004 we only spoke because we got in the same train car and he hit his head on the roof. I laughed at him openly because I am rude. Then he spoke to himself for a awhile. That was about it. Insanely tall and crazy is easy to remember and tends to catch ones attention. I found the event funny and kept it in mind for later.

Moving on to later. In 2004 I spent way too much time on Craigslist. Through that site I found two of my apartments and so many jobs I can't even count. I didn't have blogging and Myspace to eat up all my time. I used to make fake dating profiles to read the funny responses. I found endless amusement. At some point I wrote my first Missed Connection. I think I was trying to be amusing and used the situation on the train with the tall guy that hit his head. To my complete shock, he saw it! The guy is a comedian and he was going through Craigslist looking for material and found my post. I never, ever thought in a million that if I wrote something the person would find it.

So this guy responds with more details of the incident. We both had a laugh at finding each other. He gave me a link to his website and mentioned he was doing something on Comedy Central. I think I might have sent him a clip of it or something. I'm not sure. I don't remember. Anyway, I should mention that this was simply an amusing situation that happened. We never spoke of actually meeting. There was not any interest in knowing each other and I assumed I would never see or hear of this person again. He would forever remain the missed connection that caught me acting like an ass on Craigslist.

Then a year or two later I got a strange e-mail. Some girl was writing to ask what my relationship was with a name that I didn't recognize. She had found my e-mail address in her boyfriend's mail and wanted to know who I was. After doing a mail search I finally figured it out and assured her I didn't really know him. He wasn't trying to pick people up. Not to worry. She wrote back something very sad about being in some bad relationships and having trust issues. I felt bad for her because we have all known some jaded girl at some point in time who just can't trust in a good thing. Then after thinking about it I started feeling bad for the guy because his girlfriend is paranoid and going through his mail. For the record, that is never okay. Boundaries are a very important part of relationships. I digress.

That was my last run in with the missed connection guy. Until today. When it finally dawned on me who he was after several stops I thought, should I go up and ask him? That seemed very creepy and pointless. Plus, I don't want anybody to think I'm hitting on them. Instead I told the odd story to a co-worker and sang "It's a small world." in my head for an hour. Then unable to let it go I decided to blog. That means I have to research. So I looked the guy up on myspace and found that in his top friends he links another NY comedian that I watched perform in Damn Yankees last weekend and recently performed in a Parodivas show! The Parodivas are my real friends. Feel free to blog stalk Jason and Darla.

So the moral of the story is, don't post stupid shit on Craigslist because it will haunt you for life. Or maybe the moral is, don't cross me because I will find you! Most likely the moral is, this planet of ours is much smaller than we realize.

26 comments:

OneHungMan said...

Send OneHung your e-mail address and he'll send you an invite to his private blog.

Doc said...

And I thought I lived in a small town....

Dana said...

I think it says that you are a stalker ... I like that in my women *wink*

JasonBSchmidt said...

New York really is small. Umm, do I need to update my blog since you are sending people that way? Nahh.

I liked this story.

You should do a show.

Knight said...

onehungman- Um, okay.

Doc- It's all a small town!

Dana- I am and I'm damn good at it. Wink back at ya!

Jasonbschmidt- Good idea. You should direct for me!

Jo said...

You need to start carrying around a fake mustache in your purse for situations like this.

Jay said...

The other moral to this story is that you should always create a new email address that you use for Craig's List only and just delete it when your through playing around so you don't get contacted again in the future by mentally unstable people. LOL

You should have gone up to him and asked him if he remembered you. I bet he did. You're pretty hot. ;-)

GMEyster said...

I'm always amazed when I bump into people a second time that I recognize. I think to myself....evrything had to line up just right. That's almost as impossible as auditioning for a show and getting the role!

Btw, I loved "Boundaries are a very important part of relationships." Amen.

The Mountain Cat said...

Knight,
I am on Craig's Restrianing Order.com.
That cheating bastard!

gary rith said...

wow, so his name is onehungman???

Knight said...

Jo- I have one but I always forget to put it in my purse.

Jay- Thanks man! I usually did create a new one if I was posting something I thought people would reply to. Oops!

GMEyster- It's always surprising but it happens so often.

TMC- Ha ha. nice.

Gary- Nah, totally different person.

Anonymous said...

After reading this.. You just confirmed your 007 status! HAHAHA!


Ne.

JLee said...

That is too strange! Of course in my mind I think there is a reason you were supposed to meet him. Not necessarily for a romantic purpose, but maybe he can help you in some way? Maybe I'm reaching here...

Dianne said...

now I can't stop humming 'It's a Small World'

I love your boundaries observation - such a smart kid you are!

NYC is so incredibly linked and woven and connected.

Reb said...

Maybe you are supposed to meet him. That could also explain why you used your real e-mail addy, it sounds like he may have too.

BBC said...

So I hope that everything is going well for you. I had a great time at Cher's birthday weekend bash and now I'm working on improving the camper before going to the great spiritual gathering next month.

Tink said...

Would you be my stalker? It's been awhile (ie. Never) and I'm feeling a bit... undesirable. ;)

Anndi said...

Ever wonder why some people just pop into our lives like that?

Christine said...

Why oh why didn't you have an exchange with the guy? I may never get over my disappointment. Sigh.

Farmer*swife a/k/a Glass_Half_Full said...

This reminds me of when I'm out and about on errands or otherwise and I see someone I know?

Only, I don't feel like having a conversation because I'm on a mission to get my own stuff done.

So, I contemplate if it will be a quick, "Hey! Fancy meeting you here?" or a whole drawn out 15 minute conversation about nothing at all.

Typically? I walk the other way...
[I know, I'm bad.]

Happy Monday!

Schmoop said...

"I laughed at him openly because I am rude."

Ha. You rock. Cheers Knight!!

minijonb said...

i think you are going to get years and years of great material from this story. it will contnue to evolve like some strange urban myth, but this one is true.

captain corky said...

Just out of curiosity how many languages did you sing It's a Small World in? I can sing most of it in one language. English. I'm pretty proud of that. ;)

Darla said...

Ok ok, it all makes sense now! I hadn't seen this blog entry when you mentioned this at the party...and I was slightly intoxicated, so I was like, "Comedian we know, subway, wha???"

I can see clearly now, the vodkas gone. This is a great story. You should do a show. I should come.

Real Live Lesbian said...

I think he really is ONEHUNGMAN. You're holding out on us. You ARE cheating on his girlfriend with him, aren't you?

Eric Shonkwiler said...

I've become slightly addicted to Craigslist. It's fun to read the Missed Connections, in that heartwarming, "my god, could you misspell anything else?" sort of way.