"You don't still hate your life, do you?"

In taking my new job, I knew that there was a chance that I might run into Linda. She has been teaching distance-learning classes even though she retired a few years back. If you don't remember Linda, she made her cameo on the blog in these two posts:

It's all funny

I can't win

Okay, now that you've laughed (again) at my social ineptitude, you can laugh some more.

I haven't spoken to Linda since those phone calls. I've been avoiding her for obvious reasons. I spent the summer (since I was back in Raleigh) thinking about contacting her. And once I got the job, I thought about contacting her again. One would think that I might be eager to share my news with her, since it implies that I've gotten my act together...that perhaps I am a sensible adult rather than a jacka** who calls people in the middle of the night to say, "I hate my life" and then hangs up.

But no.

I've avoided it. I cringe every time I think about those phone calls. I'll admit that it's a supremely funny story...but one that I could have gone without experiencing since I respect the woman immensely. As a side note, when I fell down the stairs in Budapest -- see Falling girl -- Inquisitor asked me if I wanted to call Linda again and tell her I hated my life. Both Inquisitor and Enigma had her for a professor as well, so they appreciated the story (at my expense) to no end.

Anyhoo. Yesterday as I was headed down the stairwell to teach my second class of the day, there she was, talking to someone else. She was so engrossed in her conversation that she didn't see me even though I sort of lingered uncomfortably and glanced back a few times as I headed down the stairs. Had I had more time (and been less embarrassed) I might have interrupted her. I didn't.

Fast-forward a few hours.

I came out of the bathroom and almost walked straight into her. She exclaimed my name and reached up for a hug. Seconds later she exclaimed, "I saw your name on the list and was wondering when I was going to hear from you. Do you still hate your life?!" I sputtered a bit, to which she replied: "I figured I'd just go ahead and get it out of the way now so we never have to speak of that dreadful day again."

Cue my red cheeks.

We had a conversation for a few minutes about me teaching. In the span of a few minutes she managed to "scold" me for being in Raleigh all summer and not getting in touch, and she also managed to get another quip in about me hating my life. I thought we were never going to speak of it again? No such luck. I feel safe in estimating that it will come up every time I see her in the next few weeks, which should be often since she's teaching a class at the university (much to her husband's chagrin).

Sigh.