Comedy Show Coming Up

Last week I scheduled a time to go back to the open mike at The Comedy Underground. I've been meaning to do it for quite a while, and of course the best way to get myself there is to invite a lot of people. Then I have to go. And yes, I am being somewhat disingenuous -- the ulterior motive was to have a reason to invite J. I don't think that escaped anyone's attention though. I sent out an e-vite to about fifteen people (plus inviting a few more in person). A.N., who I was working with on arranging a speaking engagement last week anyway, responded by saying she wanted to come, but didn't want to come alone and asked me if there was anyone she knew coming. Well, I'm not going to let a chance like that pass by. When I had spoken to J. on Tuesday, she wasn't sure if she could make it -- wasn't sure if her night was clear and was concerned about staying up so late when she has to get up very early to get to work. So, I sent A.N. an e-mail telling her that I really, really wanted J. to come and maybe they could come together. I knew they had worked together in Toastmasters and knew each other well. So, A.N. e-mailed J. by forwarding my e-mail -- complete with the "really, really" -- to J. I didn't find out until several days later when I got around the checking the e-vite RSVPs that they were both coming. (Which means J. saw my gushy e-mail and agreed to come anyway -- I could read that several ways, if I was going to -- or I could just conclude that she is being nice to A.N.) That was my conscious slip. Unconsciously, I did something even more telling: when I put the guest list on the e-vite, I listed everyone's name normally, except J's, which is in all caps. So who noticed? Well, Y. did. I was talking to her several days ago and she told me she had RSVP'd -- I was so busy I hadn't even checked the responses -- and then she mentioned that J's name was all in caps. So much for Y. not noticing my thing for J. She (Yv.) said, "I guess you really want her to come." Dan never did believe that Y. was unaware of J. Neither did E. Not long after my "Two Beasts" speech, E. suggested that Y. might have hurt feelings. I was dubious. (Guessing what she's really thinking/feeling is a little like speculating about what's going on inside a singularity.) Now I'm not so sure. But I get the feeling she may be amused, rather than upset.

Anyway, J. is coming to the Comedy Show ... Which raises a whole new set of conundrums.