Carol, who follows my blog, messages me on Facebook:
Hi Lyn - I have a friend who recently moved to NYC...thought I would send her your way for some shopping. Which Saks are you at? Fridays and Saturdays? Generally what time?
I respond that I'll bet working this Friday, and she answers:
I'll make sure she talks to no one and no eye contact until she gets to your part of the store!!!
So today, I'm working, and one of my colleagues comes up and says, "Someone is here to see you."
And there is Carol with two friends! I recognize her immediately from her Facebook page. She deliberately hadn't mentioned that not only would her friend be visiting, but that she would be too.
So a little bit of background.
M had a friend named Michelle (I met Michelle once, nine years ago). Michelle had an assistant named Carol. When M and I wrote a blog called Two Friends And A Diet from 2009 to 2012, Carol followed us. Then, when I began writing my own blog, Carol followed me. So for quite some time, we've been virtual friends.
But now here she is, in person. I am utterly surprised, and monumentally touched, that Carol would take time our of a planned trip to New York (she is from San Diego) to see me.
Carol knows the details of my everyday life, and I know so little about her. Though the little I do know is impressive — she's compassionate, kind, fun, and charming. Carol asks one of her friends to take a picture of us, and she does.
We talk briefly (it's a busy day or I'd have loved to talk longer).
Before leaving Carol says, "Oh, I brought you a little gift." And she hands me a wrapped present. I open it and there's a San Diego magnet (that will live on my refrigerator) and a beautifully scented blood orange and bergamot candle.
I am so glad our relationship has skipped outside the boundaries of virtual.
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