Sleigh bells ring...are you listenin'?

Ah, the holidays! Something new hit retailers this year -- the fear of the word "Christmas"! It seems, they are suddenly afraid that using the word "Christmas" alienates a larger portion of shoppers. Suddenly. How many years has it been used? And no one ever stopped at the doors of a retailer and said, "Oh no! It's a Christmas sale! I'm Jewish, so I can't go in and save like the Christians can!" Puhleeze. None of my Jewish relatives ever turned away from a good sale....

I've done my share of shopping online, finding all sorts of things that the people on my list didn't even know they needed! I still enjoy the in-store shopping, though. Nothing like making your decisions standing there, at the shelf, then happily lugging all of your great finds to the cashier, and try to do your own spur-of-the-moment analysis of which shopper ahead of you will be fastest through the line. Ah, the thrill of the chase!

So, I'm wandering the Target toy department, late on a Sunday. The kiss of death actually happened before I left home. I looked in the mirror and said, "Good enough. No one I know will be out anyhow." This statement caused the fabric of time and space to rip open and snatch this guy I used to know from whatever life he had, and deposit him in the same toy department, at the same time.

As he turned, I recognized him. It's been years, but he's still as cute as ever. Nice, warm, friendly smile. He saw me and his eyes lit up. "Hey! I thought you moved away!" No, I didn't. "I'm still here," I said brilliantly.

We talked for about 20 minutes. This guy and I have a common interest and he's come up with some interesting ideas on it. He wants to talk more about this, another time. I get his email address (today's version of "Can I get your number?") and find out he's gone back to school, too. Good for him. He's too sharp to let a good education pass him by.

And there I was in my oversized t-shirt and the leggings I only wear when I haven't done laundry. Crap. At least I was having a good hair day (for me).

So, I'll email him in a moment. I know this could be trouble. I have the he-tries-to-cheat-but-has-been-with-me-a-long-time boyfriend. I've warned him that even though life proves to me incessantly that I'm not "enough" for any man, I still hold onto the dream of being all that to someone. I've warned him that if such an option comes up before he can show me I'm enough for him, I might just take it.

I'm getting ahead of myself, though. The nice guy just wants to chat. He might not be interested in me personally anymore, but misses the work we once did together. It could be nothing more, and no problem.

We'll see. Wish me luck!