We have a friend from the DC area staying with us this week. This friend is an old acquaintance whom we have not seen for many years, and it’s been a joy to have them in our space and so near us these past days, even if the experience has made us disoriented.
We, that is my wife and I, met this friend on the convention circuit many years ago. We became fast friends and their presence became a staple of our convention experience. For years we said “we should get together outside of a convention sometime” but it never worked out. This past weekend I was able to pick my friend up on the way home from AwesomeCon and we’ve finally made that happen.
But it’s a weird thing when someone you’ve only known from weekends in far-off cities and convention halls is suddenly in your house during the week. When you experience someone under very specific circumstances for so long, changing the parameters under which you meet can be very disorienting.
Several times this week I’ve forgotten what day it was because, in my perception, there’s an element of a convention weekend nearby! Yesterday I almost failed to realize that it was actually the middle of the week as my friend casually strolled through my hallway, because this person has only existed for me on weekends for years.
While it’s strange, it’s not unpleasant. It’s nice to hang out with a convention friend outside of a convention hall. Our time together is not governed by the hours of a show, the policies of a hotel, or the need to pause our conversation to attend to someone coming up to our table… though my son fills that last role with his own interruptions.
Connecting with friends is a priceless experience, even if it throws your routine into mild disarray. I’d gladly forget days on end if it meant keeping the people dear to my heart close to it.
