i believe.

I've had an "off" week. Let's just start there.
I've felt incredibly bored. With everything.
I've intentionally disconnected from some things. (Or people.)
There's been a lot of thinking.
And I make no claims that any of this thought has been rational. You've been warned.

I had a business lunch this week with a man I'd never met before. Nearly from the moment we sat down his topics of conversation were inappropriate. He told us how he had met a model on the plane on the way into town, had convinced her to move into his row and shared many of the inappropriate things he said to her, and even included the fact that he had removed his wedding ring.

Uhhh...nice to meet you, I guess.

I will admit that I'm not easily offended when it comes to these types of things, but as the day went on and I thought about it, the more disgusted I became. I began to wonder if this is really how people are and whether I've just been naive in genuinely believing that people are better than that. And then I started feeling sorry for myself thinking that might be all that I have to look forward to in my own life.

I was talking with a co-worker today who happens to be male and also Mormon (and married, btw) and he was asking for an update on my gentlemen relationships (sounds weird but I'm going with it). Of course those conversations always come with advice and, inevitably, a pep talk that includes some variation of "You are so great. You deserve to be treated better than that. You shouldn't accept any less."
Appreciated? Yes.
Taken to heart? Not usually.

Tonight I walked into the Seattle Art Museum and was greeted by an older gentleman, let's call him Lloyd for funsies. Lloyd directed me upstairs to the ticketing desk and I kindly informed him that I wasn't heading up yet as I was waiting for someone.

"Oh! What a lucky guy! It IS a gentleman you're waiting for, isn't it?" was his reply.

"Yes, it is.", I said. Leaving it at that was easier than explaining how, while it was a gentleman I was waiting for, it wasn't what he was thinking.

My museum partner in crime was running late and soon Lloyd headed my direction and said, "You know, he really should not keep you waiting like this." and directed me to a place to sit.

Lloyd

As I continued to wait Lloyd approached me several more times, each time telling me that I deserved not to be kept waiting or that I should get a really expensive dinner out of this or how happy I seemed despite having to wait or that I shouldn't stand for it.

Now, keep in mind I was not at all upset about having to wait. But, despite the fact that he had the wrong idea about my situation, the things my new friend Lloyd was saying started to resonate with me.

Maybe I do deserve whatever this "better" is that everyone keeps talking about.

Maybe there is at least one more man in the world that will keep his wedding ring on while on a business trip and not say inappropriate things to models he meets on planes.

I think it's worth believing.