Ok. So I made claims to the fact that I am going to attempt new things in my life. This can open yourself up to emberrassing situations as uncomfortable situations. And here I find myself describing a situation that I would never imagine myself being a part of again.
Let's look a couple of days ago. I have a friend, Pryan (to save anonymity), who I was at lunch with and he mentioned that he was going to be a chauffeur at a "Single Adults Dance." He chuckled because he said that the need of a bouncer is to keep out people who were drunk, or possibly polygamists looking for another wife. Just to make everyone here know: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (or the Mormons) do not condone the activity of plural marriage. There was a time, but that practice has been long forgotten. Getting back to the story ...
So Pryan mentioned that the "Single Adults Dance" was for 35+. He chuckled and looked at me while saying, "Where does that put you? You're not a 'Young Single Adult' and you're not a 'Single Adult.' So what does that make you?" Purgatory?
Jump ahead in time to Friday. I'm getting home from work around 7:00 at night. My usual friday routine is something like watch tv, Eat some Ramen noodles, Play some video games, and then go to bed. Around 8:00 I get a phone call from my friend Pryan. "Hey you should come down to this thing. There are some pretty cute girls here and I think it would be fun." Usually it is at this moment when I think church dance, Friday night, single people, and myslef that my mind goes to sleep and I grab the nearest book I can. But my mind started to work and said, "You made a promise to try new things."
So I find myself instead of turning on the TV going to my room and grabbing a new shirt; Going to the bathroom and wash my face, and getting into my car to drive a couple miles out my norm to get to a small church building. I walk in the door and, to my friend Pryan's surprise (he wife, Pisa, has to pay on the wager) say hello to the people at the front desk.
So now I'm at a dance. I'll give you some insight on "The Enoch": I've never been good at dances. I'm not a huge fan of dance music (even though I was a DJ for a while), and I'm not a person who enjoys walking up to a stranger and asking them to do something without first getting to know them. I'm a person watcher, and I have fun interjecting my thoughts into people as I watch them. I'll create backstories and adventures that they have sojourned. I'll percieve into their minds to discern psyche and purpose. My friend, Pryan, was urging me to dance with someone but I was having fun being elementary psychiatrist.
Then I saw it. Sitting a couple seats away from me was an elderly gentleman. I don't know his name, but I did recognize his person. He was watching all the people around him and looking a little nervous at everyone . . .not wanting to get into the mix. A couple of friends moved towards him, sat next to him and urged him to dance at least once. He shook his head and said, "No. I don't think so." All his friends wanted him to dance "at least once," but the elderly man stood his ground. He was ok just "watching" the people around him. And to my perception, wanted to join in the fun, but not wanting to feel foolish. And then elementary psychiatrist Enoch took over: He is ME!!! or I was him!!! At that wasn't a good thing.
So my friend Pryan pushed me to dance. I could have stood strong and said, "No. I'm fine!" but I decided that I didn't want to be that stubborn anymore. Who knows what I have missed out on because of my stubborness. So I danced with someone. A nice young lady named Kristen (after an awkward foray into barn-dancing) who is a nurse from the Provo area and has a 6 year old boy. She is a nice girl. Not someone that I would be interested in right now, but times are changing and I'm trying to grow as a person. Who knows what might happen in the future, but with the next time I might have a little more determination to act faster.
As I left I was given a brochure for a "Single Adults Conference" and told that I should go to it with the mind-set of "I'm here to find a wife." Well I'm not in that mentality. And I can't bring myself to that action yet, but I will keep you all posted as to what is happening. My first thought when I got the brochure: shut off my mind. And we all know, now, where that lead to.