[vacations: Stood Up. Really? Oh Brother.]

Anyone who knows me, knows I'm rather nostalgic.

I love old church choruses - they make me cry. I love driving by my old stomping ground - my old elementary school where the memories come alive as I smell the cedars. I love reading old letters from friends who I knew a lifetime ago. And most of all, I love seeing those friends - people whom I once shared life with, but somehow our paths diverted and now we're living totally different ones.

I love that. Seeing what happened, who they married, where they work, what they named their children ... hearing their tales that brought them to where they are today. New Zealand has many of those people for me ... as I came here many times growing up, and kept up some special friendships throughout the years. I thought that this trip would be a perfect opportunity to connect with some of those people.

Which leads me to last night ... a friend from many, many, moons ago and I got in contact. He and his wife are pastors at the local church. They have 4 children and are all doing very well apparently. I so wanted to have a quick visit - see family photos, hear about their future plans ...

Well - we were in touch by phone. I had thought that maybe we could meet up the next day (today) as my aunt - whom he is very close with - was coming and I thought he would like a visit with her too. But no, he suggested that we meet at the apartments that my parents are staying at, have a cup of tea with the folks and catch up - that night. "Perfect," I thought. He said he'd arrive after his son's soccer (footie) game ... around 8:45pm.

I Skyped my husband, told him of the upcoming reunion, and then my folks, my aunts & uncle and I all went for dinner ... it was a lovely meal and a lovely time. And then we went back to the apartment to wait for my friend, AT.

Well. 8:45pm came.

9pm came.

9:15pm came ... so I went upstairs to phone - to make sure he wasn't wandering out the city. I left a message and went back downstairs to wait.

9:30pm came.

9:45pm came ... are you getting the picture here *laughing*?? Imagine, a preggo waiting in an empty lobby ... wishing I had brought a good book down with with me ...

10pm, 10:15pm ... ok. That's enough ... I was done. Upstairs I went, vented to my folks about common courtesy and a simple phone call. Of course, we all debated about what happened ... maybe his son got hurt on the field. Maybe he ran out of gas. Maybe he left his phone at the church ...

So, I called again - this time, someone picked up and with a muffled shuffle of a few seconds, the call was hung up.

Hmm???

I called back ... the phone had been turned off.

*LAUGHING*.

Ok - it's been a while since I've been stood up ... hmm ... if ever? But this was just TOO silly? Two grown, happily married, parents, over 30 years old ... too much drama for me. And of course, my pride was, "I don't care - who does he think he is??" My aunt, who's my roommate, and I had a seriously good laugh over it. And how you can be suddenly thrown into feeling like your 14 all over again.

It's possible that his wife didn't feel as comfortable about our visit, as my husband did. That's completely cool ... although if she saw me in my 6 month preggo state, she definitely would have *laughing*. But I didn't suggest us getting together one-on-one (which, I feel, would've been inappropriate) and he was the one who wanted to meet sooner than later. Plus, I had hoped to visit with her too, and their kids ...

So - whatever the case - he phoned this morning, with a mouthful of apologies and some pretty lame excuses ... and that was that. Disappointing, yes ... very disappointing, no.

My 15 year old rose-coloured glasses see quite clearly now *GRIN*!