I just got back from a business trip to Philadelphia, and I had an amazing thing happen...
Thursday evening in Philadelphia, some of the men I work with wanted me to go to a club with them. In fact, it was mainly one man named Bao. He is Asian, and we were eating at a Japanese Restaraunt, and he was talking to one of the waitresses (a really cute vietnamese girl), who invited him to go to this club after dinner. She told him that there would be many young women there, and she asked him to invite me along, also. She asked this, I think, because Bao and I were the youngest men there.
Bao really wanted me to go with him, because he did not want to have to go alone.
But I told him, "Sorry. Can't."
"Why?" He asked me. "You are single! This will be fun."
I tell him that I may be single, but I am engaged, and I cannot do this.
I get a lot of teasing now. There is this well-known "50 mile" rule when you are in sales and you travel. The basic tenet of the rule is this: If you are more than fifty miles from home, it's not cheating.
Now, actually, I don't know anyone who actually believes this (or acts like this.) I do know guys who won't go to a strip club when they are at home, but will when they are on the road, but that's about it.
But everyone knows about this rule, and I get some good-natured kidding now about how, at the very least, there MUST be a 5,000 mile rule... and I am only engaged... and if it is like this now... blah, blah, blah.
I just smile and tell them, that if the situation were reversed, I would expect her to say no. And some more teasing ensued... and finally I end it all by saying: "Tell you what, tomorrow, I will show you some pictures I have of my fiance, and maybe then you will all understand..."
Anyway, the upshot is that Bao went alone, and I returned to the hotel alone.
The next day, though, I show everyone pictures of Victoria, and the guys start to understand. Well... I show everyone EXCEPT Bao. Why? He did not show up for our class.
There is a lot of talk about how he is probably still hung-over, or ran off with the waitress... and such. But the VP who arranged the class was really getting pissed as hour after hour passed, and no Bao.
At lunch time, a message was delivered to our class: Bao was in an accident the night before. When he was coming home from the club, the Taxi he ws in was smashed into when a driver ran a red light! He had three ribs broken, severe whiplash, and was in the hospital. (He is expected to fully recover.)
If I had gone with him, I would have been in that taxi, too.
I felt a chill pass over me. Three months ago, I WOULD have been in that taxi with him...
There, but for the Grace of God... and my love for Victoria... go I...
