Rude people

(cue the 'way back when' music)....

Several years ago, OddJob and I ran into a couple that we know from a time known as "when OddJob was athletic". The man (Person M) was on a team with OddJob, and they got on fairly well, and M eventually married the woman (person W) that he had been dating.

And whattaya know, they had moved out of the city and were living not far from us in suburbia!

I remember meeting M, no recollection of W (other than she was blonde) but we had children of comparable ages, and OddJob hadn't really formed any friendships since the demise of his role on said sports team. So they invited us to their sons birthday, we invited them to a BBQ, I was bending over backwards to try to be nice to W (didn't really have much in common - she still seemed very off-hand about me, which I found kinda weird) but M was very nice. They (looking back, or at least M) appeared interested in friendship.

One evening, had them over for dinner, with both of their children. It went very well. They were all eager to have us over - and named Date X about 3 weeks out.

About 1 week before Date X, I called (as I hadn't heard from them) to firm things up. M answered, seemed rushed, seemed not to remember any plans for Date X, said he'd check and call me back.

Never heard from them again. Kinda let THAT one go, but was very puzzled.

.............2 years later............

We spent this morning at #1A's first soccer game.

OddJob is coaching, which isn't going swimmingly with #1A. But so far ALL the parents have been not just polite, but making a real effort to be involved and nice. And this is NOT easy for several of the Moms, as 1 is still at the 'rudimentary English' level, several others are obviously recent immigrants (you can tell, because their sons KICK ASS at soccer). We're all still learning everyone's names, being somewhat cautious with each other (aware that we're all new to each other and there might be some cultural differences, and why step in it if you don't have to?).

But so far, so good, and there is a lot of group cheering for all the boys from all the parents, and none of that obnoxious "Go get HIM! Take that ball away from HIM!" highly-competitve nonsense from the sidelines. Because these kids are SIX.

As I'm wrangling #1B, snacks and water for the players, and other Moms, a man walks up to me and says "Hi JollyRoger".

I look up, and this person seems... mildly familiar? I'm thinking furiously, and finally say "Gee, sorry, you look familiar??" .....??

And he's all "Hahahaha, it's M".

As if it's perfectly acceptable to completely pretend that you don't have the grace to look mildly embarassed that you were a rude putz to me and OddJob and haven't spoken to either of us in years. (insert eyeroll here).

Me (very much taken aback and not really sure how to handle this one) - "Oh. Hi".

Then W materializes from behind M, and screeches in a pack-a-day-Marlboro voice that makes me wince "Oh, is that #1B?? I haven't seen her since she was a BABY. Wow, she's a MONSTER now!!!!".

To which I'm thinking "Wow, as if I needed MORE of a reason to completely avoid either of you in the future. Nice opening line there W."

Apparently M & W's son is playing on the opposing team. How do I know this? Because not long after this interchange, I hear a pack-a-day-Marlboro habit voice just SCREECHING "Go After him!! Take the ball away from him!!" from the OTHER teams sidelines.

And the meekest, mildest Mom on our team, the 'butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth' Mom says to me in thickly accented English:

"Geeeza, whose da beetch??"

And I couldn't help thinking - Thank you, higher power, for sending me the sign that it's NOT JUST ME!!