A few nights ago (12/8) there was a waitress in Middleofnowhere/Southern Illinois, who was the spitting image of Ann, my cheerleader friend from freshman year.

That was a good time for me. There were millions of women, even at Ga Tech. Well, not really... the ratio of men to women was at least 3:1... but somehow, i didn't have to worry about that.

Not because i was any great catch, or anything... in fact, it would be at least a yar before i would start dating anyone seriously. But I had two things going for me in the laydeez category.

1) I spent a lot of time in the GaTech Chorale. As there are usually statistically 2 times the women who want to sing in almost any group, the M/W ratio in Chorale asymptotically approached 1:1. (And, in fact, that's the pool I pulled each of my future long term dating prospects from. Sneaky, Sean.)

2) After my very first night singing in Chorale, I ended up (through a wild and wooly path, to be told later (if you ask nicely) meeting J (now known as Everbabe.) We immediately hit it off (both new freshmen with a love for Robert Heinlien) and, (through ANOTHER bumpy ride... what can I say? We were freshmen...) ended up best of friends.

3) Not dating, mind you. Just friends. (i still have the note to prove it.) {see? *Notes.* *Obviously* a freshman.) But really close friends. Close enough that I started spending the night in her room. A LOT.

4) Which led me to meet quite a few of her neighbors. Segregated dormitories in those days. (ah, the prudish early 90's) One of whom: Ann.

My relationship with Ann (purely platonic, of course) lasted a few years, and we were little more than nodding acquaintances. Ah, but that little more (usually a smile) was all I needed to get that extra little lift in my shoes whenever we bumped into each other. Which is why it was so nice to be reminded of her by this waitress.

It's amazing that something as small as a similar smile can take you back in time over a decade. Back when life was good, and you weren't stuck on a jobsite in Southern Illinois.

Js'kiddin.