Randomly Reuniting

My first time on JMU's campus was when I went in June for Orientation. We were separated into small groups by major and went to various computer labs to register for classes. I met a girl named Jenna, we exchanged numbers, became Facebook friends and that was the end of that except for random sightings in Harrison Hall. We really didn't see each other that much until one random class during Senior year that I took for my major (her minor.) We ended up grouped together on a project and worked together for the whole semester.

And once again, it just ended there. I checked her Facebook periodically to keep up with her racing career (she drives race cars), but I found out she had relocated to Charlotte during  a Thursday night Panther’s game. We met up for drinks last week in South End to catch up and in keeping in trend with my recent vow to try new things, we picked a little hole-in-the-wall market hidden down an alleyway.

The place is called Common Market and is a beer market-gift shop-deli combination with an eclectic collection of beer. I had to search to find anything resembling Bud Light or Blue Moon but opted for a wheat beer with an owl on the label. We went up to pay and I asked the bartender if I could keep my bottle cap. He asked if I wanted some more and I agreed thinking he would throw a few more into my hand. To my surprise, he reached down and emptied the ENTIRE  box of bottle caps into a grocery bag. I now have a target back full of bottle caps and more than a few ideas of what to do with them.

We sat outside on the patio and watched what slowly turned into an open mic night of sorts. It started with a few guys but they kept recycling musicians and bringing in new people. Eventually it turned into people hopping up and playing a song or two, both covers and originals, and then various people then joining them by playing the bass or the drums or whatever else seemed to fit. It was an impromptu concert coupled with an unexpected reunion.

Jenna just accepted a job with Nascar and will be based in Uptown starting two weeks from now. She’ll be in the area for a while and we’ve planned a few trips back to Harrisonburg in addition to a few random events in Charlotte. The way we met was weird and even weirder that we reunited because of a random Facebook post. It’s still one more person to add to my Charlotte network and one that shares my love for Purple & Gold.