Talking of weird experiences in this
week's Weekend Experience topic, one from many years ago immediately came to mind. When I finished writing it, I remembered another more recent weird experience so decided to go double today.
Dinner date
Let's call her W. She's one of my sister's best friend. I know her, but not very well, and normally only see her when my sister invites her to a family function, or when I bump into her around the community. One year many years ago, I bumped into her at the local grocery store. We stopped for a little chit chat. The type that develops to where she says we should have dinner sometime and I casually respond by yes, let's do that. You know the type of courteous meaningless conversations you have with acquaintances where you walk away and forget about it. I didn't give it any thought coz although I know her, I didn't feel we were that close to have dinner together. Turns out that W was serious about the dinner date, and was quite insistent hubs and I go over to hers for dinner one evening. The weirdest thing was that my sister was away during that week, so I couldn't work out why she wanted to invite us over for dinner. Anyway, we accepted the invitation in the end. I figured it was just dinner and she is a family friend after all. I just couldn't understand why the sudden eagerness.
Hubs and I turned up a few days later. I've never been to her house, but I know she lives with her husband, let's call him Y, whom we've never met before. Y wasn't in when we arrived and when he got home, he was clearly surprised to see two strangers in his house, let alone waiting to have dinner. He wasn't rude to us, just kept to himself. The mood was clearly very odd between the couple. I wondered why we were even there. After a while Y said he had to go out and suggested we have dinner without him. It was getting awkward. Somehow W managed to convince him to stay. Then W mentioned Y had some issues with his computer and asked if hubs could take a look coz she knew hubs knows his IT stuff. More weird exchanges between W and Y on whether hubs help was required, and don't forget we were there all the time. In the end Y gave in and the two guys went upstairs to solve whatever computer problem there was.
Finally it was dinner time. The food
was lovely, got to give Y that but I can't remember what we ate. It's very difficult to enjoy your food when you're at one of the weirdest and most awkward dinner you've ever had. W tried to get a conversation going with everyone, but Y barely uttered a word, like a sulky teenager made to sit at the dinner table by his mom. Hubs and I ate our dinner, trying to act as normal as possible but it was obvious something was off between W and Y. It's like we're there but we're not supposed to be there.
Finally we made it through dinner and excused ourselves at the first opportunity. As soon as we got to the car, hubs and I looked at one another in disbelief. What the heck was all that about!!
I told my sister about this weird dinner date afterwards. Apparently W and Y were going through a rough patch. We reckon maybe W thought having an external party at dinner would make Y loosen up. W couldn't ask my sister because she knew the couple too well, and hubs and I were the right people at the right time and right place 🥴
The missing turntable cover
Last month I got a new turntable. I missed listening to my vinyls these few years, each brings back nice memories from the past and I was slowly going through my catalogue every day. It's so lovely having music at home, with the occasional crackling coming through the speakers.
On day 4 I went to change an LP. When I picked it up from the turntable the protection felt cover underneath was missing. That's weird.
I'm certain it was there before. It's black with the brand name on it, as seen on the box. Plus I would never place a vinyl on the turntable without the protective cover as it would scratch it.
I checked the bottom of the vinyl that I'd just lifted up and it wasn't there. Then I checked the previous LP I'd listened to in case I picked it up and hadn't noticed. Not there. Then I checked all the other vinyls including those I hadn't listened to since I got my turntable. Nope, nothing. Underneath by the turntable. Nope. Next was the sofa. I pulled up all the cushions, looked behind and underneath the sofa, and behind the curtains. Nothing. I even went to check the laundry basket for the clothes I worn the previous day. Unlikely I know, but I had to check. Again nothing. We haven't had anybody else in the house since I got the turntable, so how can a 12 inch black thickish disc disappear into thin air? It was so weird.
I ended up searching the entire room including the drawers and cupboards. And you know what happened in the end?
I still haven't found it.