An Impromptu and Immensely Fun Encounter at the Coffee Shop!

Now that it is spring and the end of the school year, life seems insanely busy. I mean, the grass keeps growing and the flower beds need to be weeded and more fun/creativity than ever before needs to be pumped into lesson plans in order to keep students engaged... and so, on the weekends, the free time I do have is often spent horizontally on my couch.

Today, however, I mustered up a bit of energy I did not feel and met Mary at Bantam Coffee Roasters in order to do some editing. We have been reading Torn Asunder (which stars Bas 'n' Bert, Kai 'n' Ansel, and Milo 'n' Emory) and had fewer than 100 pages 'til the end. The plot was getting intense, you know? We wanted to see how things were going to be wrapped up.

(Granted, I knew how things would be wrapped up since I wrote the novel... but I wrote the novel months and months and months ago, so I didn't really remember all the details.)

Anyway. Mary and I were on our second round of drinks at Bantam (I was enjoying a raspberry iced tea and she sipped an iced Hummingbird, which is a drink and not miniature frozen poultry) when this man with blue-tinged hair whom I'd never seen before approached us and asked rather hesitantly, "Are you... Hannah?"

I confirmed that I was because I am.

"I'm Nick," the blue-tinged-haired man who is actually Nick informed me.

"Nick?!" I exclaimed. "Nick Mc-------?! Nick of Instagram fame?! The pasta guru?!"

And lo and behold, it really and truly was Nick of Instagram fame!

Here's the story of my "friendship" with Nick, alright? I'm gonna summarize it into a neat little nutshell via bullet points:

• On December 8 of 2023, our correspondence began.
  

• From there, Nick and I talked a LOT about pasta. And he and his wife eat vegan, so everything he prepares is friendly to the animals as well.

• Nick and I kept talking about art. And food. And music (bluegrass). And eventually how I live in Gettysburg. Turns out, he also grew up in Adams County and his mother-in-law lives in Gettysburg... and she owns some of my chicken art... which she bought at Bantam! Nick added, "This means I'll have to bring you pasta next time we're in town... you know, as long as you can ignore all of the signals in your brain telling you not to accept food from strangers on the internet."

• On December 23, Nick was in town and he purchased one of my "Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of... eggnog?!" Christmas cards, which he shared with me via a photograph through Instagram. I offered to run over and meet him, but he and his family were on their way to Frederick and he didn't have the time that day. Totally understandable -- 'twas the season of constant festivities!

• Just recently, I posted images of the art Heather and I were hanging (and have since hung) at the Garryowen and Nick messaged me to praise, specifically, Heather's bleeding heart and my octopuses.

• And then today... I met him! Totally unexpectedly! He is so kind! His entire family is so kind! And he has promised to bring pasta next time! 🍝

Isn't that a really fun story? I know!

After Nick left, Mary and I finished reading Torn Asunder (it's a really good book), hung some new art (see the picture below), and then headed home to spend time horizontally on our couches. I mean... that's what I came home to do. I'm not sure if Mary did the same, but it wouldn't surprise me if she did!