you know how they say life is stranger than fiction? it really is. some of the experiences i have living in seattle are truly too good to make up. and that’s one of the many reasons i enjoy my life in seattle. no matter what bar or restaurant i find myself in, i seem to always have the best conversations.
last night as i was getting my drink from the bar during a nphc social, the guy on the stool next to me started talking. i had ordered a dirty martini, extra dirty and it caught his attention. i’m sure most people don’t order dirty martinis. i’m not sure why. they are frickin awesome. but he asked me why i liked them so much after i told him they are my favorite drink. this is a no brainer. i like martinis because of 007. i like dirty martinis because i like salt.
that simple conversation about my extra dirty martini soon turned into me talking about watching james bond and western movies with my dad when i was little and how i still tend to have a soft spot for them as they remind me of those tender moments from my childhood. after about 30 minutes of talking, we were joined by guy on the right’s friend. they were meeting for drinks to catch up after a rough work week. new guy on the left easily folded into our conversation about 007 and immediately ordered a vesper because you can’t talk about 007 without talking about his signature drink. i had never had a vesper before but i’m always game for transferring my geek love to real-world application. so it was a round of vespers for all three of us!
we talked about everything from 007 and westerns to life in seattle to video game design and addiction to politics and my future run for office to christianity and its role in shaping compassionate discourse. after a while, i completely forgot all about the nphc social happening across the room because these two game designers were feeding my intellectual and nerdy soul. it’s so rare that i find people willing to engage in deep, thought-provoking and stimulating conversation. we are all so tied to our beliefs and convictions and talking with people who not only share your same beliefs and convictions, but rarely challenge them, is kind of the equivalent of watching paint dry. i feel like i walked into a twilight zone last night when i sat down next to guy on the right. but i walked away with exactly what i needed. plus i was introduced to vespers, met two awesome game designers, and made two new drinking friends who enjoy talking about life as much as i do.
you never know when life will give you what you need and desire. i do know that if you keep putting it out there, you will see a return. it’s called the law of reciprocity. i’ve learned after moving twice to cities by myself where i didn’t know a single, solitary soul, that you have to be open to people. the bible says if you want friends, you have to be friendly. awwwwww. see how simple that is? in seattle, where you have to break through the seattle freeze, hoards of introverts, and mobs of tech connected drones, it can be hard to experience those gems of connection. but they do happen. and they can be awesome experiences if you’re open to them.
so next time you find yourself at a bar, restaurant, or event alone (and this should actually be something you do regularly) don’t shy away from an invitation to talk. you don’t have to get lost in conversation for four hours like i did, but you never know how a few minutes can feed your soul and give you exactly what you needed. so, thanks jason and brad. can’t wait to drink and talk shop with you again!
It looks like going to a bar where nobody knows your name doesn’t mean someone won’t be glad you came 🙂