My job takes me all over the country. I have my usual stopping places. Places where I like to stop and eat, places where I like to stop and rest, and places where I like to stop and have a good time.
I'm back in WI and, after a rather annoying day, I rented a room for the night in my favorite local hotel. The hotel just happens to have an Applebys next door to it. Coincidence? I think not.
After I haggled over the rate, got checked in, and stored my crap in the room, I wandered over to Applebys for dinner and a few brews. The 20 year old bartender (very cute), recognized me from a previous visit when she had been working, and was very friendly asking me how long I was in for and how I had been doing, all the usual stuff. She proudly told me she had quick smoking cigarettes and had even given up smoking pot and wanted to know if I was proud of her. Of course I said I was.
There was a guy sitting on the stool next to me who was witness to this exchange and during our conversation naturally asked if I lived in the area. When I informed him I'm a trucker and I live in Florida he got this confused look on his face and said "but the bartender knows you..."
It seems that even though he's a "regular" in there, the bartender never really remembers him. He seemed a bit put out by the fact that as an occasional visitor she recognized me right off ( I made the mistake of mentioning that I had only been there once before when she was working). I conversed with him and a few others for a while, made a few humorous comments, and pretty much just acted my usual asinine self.
I guess I have something of a "presence" because even when I am trying to blend in and not be noticed, people seem to notice me anyway. I know my voice tends to carry even when I don't want it to do so, and for whatever reason people just seem to notice me. Like I said, "presence".
My new acquaintance said that he had been divorced 2 years ago and I made a comment that "everyone should have at least one divorce". Just a humorous remark, but I guess several people overheard and laughed about it and made their own remarks, including a very attractive blonde across the bar from me who kept smiling at me and making comments towards me. While I returned her smiles and remarks, I decided to let sleeping dogs lie.
The fellow beside me called it a night before I did, but slid a $10 over and said "buy yourself a couple on me" and left. When I decided it was time to return to my room, I paid my tab and left the $10 as a tip for the bartender. Did I mention she's cute?
This sort of thing happens everywhere I go. I don't know if I just have a friendly face or what, but for some reason people tend to notice me and almost always "buddy up" to me. They buy me drinks, strike up conversations, and generally keep me entertained. I've never really understood why perfect strangers have always taken a liking to me, I just know that they do. And they always seem to remember me no matter how infrequently I pass through.
It's pretty strange really.