Meeting Carl

This last Monday, I had a visit from Carl, who is one of the three masters of the blog “Three Hams Inn,” to be found among the links to the right. Prior to a few quick opportunities to speak on the web and by phone, Carl and I were complete strangers to one another. As chance would have it, he was almost in the neighbourhood, touring this part of Canada with his friends ... and setting up the day of the meeting, Carl then proceeded to blow me away with his effort to drive three hours of his way so that the two of us might meet face to face.

I don’t when I’ve felt this touched. Carl is terrific fellow, a sense of humour, generous to a fault and a damn fine dinner conversationalist. We only had three short, short hours together, but very much was said and I hope to say that we both came away from the meeting with much to think about. There were many questions and many answers. I did my best to answer all of his. I know he answered all of mine – it was only a shame there wasn’t more time.

What can I say? Since beginning on the course of my life, from my time as a child to the present, I have always felt a kinship to a certain kind of person. I remember when I saw the movie ‘Revenge of the Nerds’ in the theatre back in ‘84, with my nerd friends, we were sitting in the row in front of a group of girls who didn’t know what nerds were – amazing as it might be, once it was not a well-understood concept. The girls certainly did not understand why we were so pumped for the film. I remember in trying to explain it to them, I opened my arms wide and cried out, “These are my People!”

Turns out, Carl is also one of us.

I don’t think for a moment he would mind that appellation. Like me, he lives on computer, not merely on line but on what dances he can make a computer perform. Like me, he can rush through a range of topics in a short time, and never seem to be changing the subject.

I must admit, with the friends I have, whom I have all known for years, it was odd to try explaining myself frankly to someone knew – and positively thrilling to be told, “nah, that’s not it,” at some comment I’ve made about myself. That’s confidence. And it is particularly endearing when that person can disagree me and sound reasonable, at the same time.

There’s more I could say, but much of it isn’t my place to spread around on the net, and certainly not in a whorehouse like this blog. I know mostly that I don’t have enough opportunities like this in my life, and I want more. It makes an old glory hound like me crave just a bit more attention, something that obviously isn’t good for me.

But damn, it was good to have a chance to know him better.

Oh, and Carl's puff piece about me is here.