the setting up game

I love when I can go home and just take it easy. Just lounge around, no make-up, hair thrown up, wearing my sweats. But as of late that doesn’t happen anymore.

Take today for instance, I had a dentist appointment and we know exactly what happens at dentist appointments... the dental hygienists flock over my open mouth, asking me if I’m dating anyone yet and how they have a son, nephew, friend, cousin, or paper boy they want to set me up with, to which I say mouth all-wide open, “shea, ghat shounds greatch.”

Or when I'm out with my dad and he know's more people my age than I do. He'll always tell me who's the "sharp guy" in one of his institute classes and will bring me to work then throw me to the sharks.

Yup, I just am always having to be ready to go, for all those "just in case" moments that always seem to happen. Now, i'm not complaining about getting set up, it can be fun at times, and i'm always appreciative of my friends and random strangers thinking of me. But sometimes i just want to to wear a sign that says, "yes i know i'm almost 25 without a ring, graduated from BYU-I and live in utah. and YES i'm still happy!"

[Here’s a perfect example:]

so one day i decide "to heck with it, i don't care who i run into today asking about my boyfriendless life. i ain't even gonna get ready." and i didn't. and it felt good. until...

The morning I went to go run errands. I’m wearing my Saturday’s best- high school sweat pants and my Virginia hoodie, wet curly hair wrapped up on top of my head. The thought occurred to me that I just might want to take a minute or two to fix myself up, but it was a Saturday and I was just going to the local copy store. Who goes there anyway? Besides teachers, of course.

As I walk through the door I hear “Brittany!” and surprisingly look to see it’s a distant relative. Not one minute into the conversation she does the quick ring check on my hand and then asks me if im dating anyone. I give my usual response-NO. then she conjures up a list of men she’d like to set me up with.

Once I start copying papers I hear again, “Hey Brittany, right?”

And see it’s the rather attractive boy from my ward…

I wait a minute deciding if I want to turn around and accept that i'm her… and decide to man up.

“Hi! Yes, im Brittany, remind me your name?” hoping my cheerful personality will make up for my grossly looking appearance.

We talk, and it doesn’t take long til he too follows suit…

“Hey, this is really random but I have a friend who’s interested in you.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, when you were giving your talk on Sunday he said he’s been working up the nerve to ask you out.”

“Ha, oh that is sweet. He doesn’t need to be nervous.”

“So you’d say yes?”

“Well, yeah. I mean one date to get to know him, sure. Who is he?”

“His name is (let’s call him) ‘Long John Silver’ and he’s 27 and well established. He’s smart, has his master’s degree and has his own house, he’s a really great guy.” Then he show’s me Long-John's Facebook pic on his i-phone of his arm wrapped around President Thomas S. Monson…

Still hesitant I say, “Sure! He seems like a great guy.”

He gets all excited and says he’ll be sure to introduce us to each other on Sunday.

I checkout and head to my car.

I get in and start laughing to myself. Literally, to myself, because no one else was in the car. And if that ain’t bad enough I start talking to myself, something along the lines of, “Of course I look like nast when I run into him. Hey Long John, remember that girl you wanted to ask out, yeah, you should see what she looks like outside of church, whoooo its scary!” yeah, that kind of dialogue.

Well as im putting my seatbelt on, banging my head into the steering wheel, covering my hands over my face, visually talking to myself (if you’ve seen JUST FRIENDS you know exactly what is coming) I look over and see he is seated in his car right next to me staring at me. I slowly look over, suddenly aware of the show I have just put on for him. He gives me a slow wave. I give him and even slower wave back and then slowly drive off.

Do you think Mr Long John Silver asked me out?? Yeah that’s right. He didn’t. There went my chance of ever meeting the prophet.