Dinner Guest #37 - The S. Family

Sunday, September 23, 2012

I live 2,450 miles from the town where I spent my first 18 years of life.  So as you might expect, I NEVER run into an old classmate at the grocery store, library, community center, or the movies.  While I wouldn’t be surprised if residents of Potomac, Maryland visit the Las Vegas strip regularly, I seem to be the only one who moved here.

With a population of slightly over two million people, Las Vegas is no small town.  However, my husband, a rare Las Vegas “native,” is constantly running into old classmates and friends.

This Sunday was no exception.

The coincidences were almost unbelievable.

I met Mrs. S. one year ago on the elementary school playground and learned that we attended the same church.  With children of similar ages, we quickly fell into play dates at the park, play dates at our homes, and swimming dates during the summer time.  All of our meet ups occurred during the day time while our busy husbands were at work.  They never met. 

Or so we thought…

I was very excited to have the S. Family over for Sunday dinner and completely unexcited about cooking.  I walked through the isles at Costco trying to concoct a simple meal that would still look and taste somewhat homemade.  I settled on a make-your-own sandwich bar of croissants, assorted deli meats, cheeses, lettuce, tomato, and onion.  I found enough energy to whip up a respectable homemade pasta salad and put out bowls of potato chips, carrots and dip, and grapes.  Mrs. S. brought a fruit salad and for dessert, I served lemon bars and chocolate chip cookies.

As expected, the kids grazed over their plates, eating more potato chips and bread than veggies and fruit, and quickly ran off to play.  The adults chatted at the kitchen table where we learned that Mr. S. and Ryan attended three of the same schools in Las Vegas.  Ryan cracked out the yearbooks from Booker Elementary School, Garside Junior High, and Bonanza High School and gave us all a good laugh at pictures of their younger selves.  Neither Mr. S. nor Ryan remembered anything about each other although, they both could honestly say,

“You have a familiar face…”

The night got late, bedtimes were long past, and we parents had to work at ending the girls’ intricate game of house, school, Pet Shops, and Barbies.  It’s nice when friends don’t want to leave.  It’s an odd, comforting compliment.

I hope these new “old friends” will come back again.