Meeting new friends

At all times in life, one comes across people who you become friendly with due to common circumstances or common interests. Sometimes the friendship can fade when the common interest fades too. I can't say how it will pan out in the long term but meeting new people is always interesting.

One interesting person I met recently is the same age as I, brought up very similar way, similar place, similar in yidishkeit, similar job... Overall, running virtually parallel lives, but never along the same tracks. Ok, his personality is very different, but is funny how you think your life is unique while others are running in tandem and by a slight inconsistency in the fabric of the matrix, your lives cross.

Online friends are often the most varied. Fleeting instances of bonding, often revealing ones deepest secrets to a stranger. Possibly a completely false facade, but often developing into long term real life friendships. These are the ones that would never happen in 'reality' but somehow manage 'the jump'. Like one that happened last week and possibly another this week. Its gonna be fun!

I happened to chat to someone last week, who, through common mutual friends and common circumstances, we started chatting. She seemed nice enough and I wouldn't have given it another thought afterward if there wasn't this one thing that really seemed strange. She wouldn't tell me her name. This wasn't some online freak encounter but meeting with mutual mutual friends. We discuss this tenuous connection and she asks my name, so I tell her. She says,

"Don't you work as a web designer or something?"
I'm like, "ummm, not as my main job"
"well. Isn't your name Max or Steve?"
"No, I already told you my name is ****"
"Ah... Ok. Where are you from? "
"Golders Green, how about you?"
"I'm from Stamford Hill"
"I don't think I got your last name..."
"I'd rather not say!"
"haha funny..."
"I'm not going to tell you."

((I thought straight away - I'm gonna have to blog this!!))

I was a bit gobsmacked. This was reality? But it does seem that people from Stamford Hill (correct me if I'm wrong) are much more elusive and circumspect than others. Not only online, but even in real life.

I then saw her a week later - same place same time and just got a sign of recognition. I guess I'll see her again same time & place this week. Maybe this time I'll get a response from her.