What Not to Expect

Several people I know have been going through difficult times lately. In light of that, I thought I’d do a short “ditty” (that term is a whole other story) for a little reprieve.

Do you find that life never ceases to surprise? I love the amusing surprises.

Like today.

After the morning church service, I meandered into a main hallway in our church building. I happened by one of our older members, a friend of ours named Allan (and I know he wouldn’t mind me sharing this).

Allan is a wonderful, endlessly colorful person; he and his wife are precious. He loves to laugh and cut up, but make no mistake: Allan has a hefty supply of tough-guy stories he can whip out at a moment’s notice. …Retired career military, one of the first Navy SEALS…he even has an ever-present eye patch with an American flag lapel pin secured on the front. You get the picture.

So imagine my surprise today when we’re talking about TV shows and he says with total seriousness, “Don’t you love that show ‘What Not to Wear’?”

Why, yes, I do. But at that moment, my eyes got as big as a beauty queen’s hairstyle to hear him say that. For the uninitiated, “What Not to Wear” is a weekly makeover show where two hosts ambush a person and whisk them away to New York for a week. Results? Head to toe transformations.

He went on. And on. “I tape it every Friday night. Boy, some of those people you just wonder if they’ll ever make them look better. …And the hair! I try to guess ahead of time if the person will let Nick cut it as much as he wants to. Did you see the episode marathon on Friday?”

I had to laugh then and there–one of those deep, belly laughs. What an unexpected thing to be chit-chatting with Allan about Stacy, Clinton, and shopping trips.

I hope I never quit looking for the unexpected.

So… what amusing surprises have found you?