The chaplain at Raquel’s college thought highly of her. He and I thought highly of each other, perhaps because we both liked theology and beer. Though he knew I had a GF four states away, he thought Raquel and I would be a good match. I was not interested but politely consented.
We were to meet each other in the local IGA. As I was out of practice meeting new “dates,” I went a bit early and got to the back of the store to observe the process. A few minutes later, Raquel coming in and the door is still on the way to close, when I her talking — very joyfully, I must add. Not just to the guy nearest the door, but to everyone.
By the time she gets to me, she smiles, and says, “And you must be Peter.” Oh damn, I could see where this was going. Walking through campus, if they were breathing, some small talk or encouragement. During the whole “date”, at most, I got in four sentences. I tend to be quiet, at times winning the introvert award — but now for first time — here was a challenge I was waiting for — extrovert versus introvert. I’m hardly competitive but knew I would win this one, as silence was one of my virtues (“It’s better not to speak and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” An easy win, No?). I lost! We got married — a marriage that “worked” for more than a half century by the absence of boredom.
Well, now I’m bored. An affirmation of “you don’t what you’re missing — till you miss it.” Or the difference between knowing and experiencing. I have, and continue to have learned, neither introversion nor extroversion win — Love wins! Alone again sucks!