Posse in Effect

It's always scary meeting online friends. A year or so ago, I remember being mildly surprised that Tommy and Brett were not the types who lived in their parents' basements. Not really, anyway.

Of course, the rest of the Sticks crew made me realize that the Internet appeals to more than the just the people who send anonymous hate mail. And a few of you have made the meeting process even more than extremely enjoyable. Still. The idea is sometimes frightening.

I'm not alone. Others have expressed the same trepidation with me.

"Are you normal?"

"Is your hair really that big?"

"Own all your own teeth?"

No worries, folks. I know how to clean up, make eye contact and laugh appropriately at all the right moments. I'm a godd*mn delight.

And so it was that Husband and I went out last night with another transplanted Tampa-to-Colorado couple: Chase Squires and his lovely wife Saralee.

I used to read Chase's work regularly in The St. Petersburg Times. So sad when he left the bay area last year. Yet he somehow caught wind of my site and realized we were both moving to the same state. An online best buddy was born. It's about time we made each other's acquaintance in person.

We had a fun double date. Chase showed off Denver with all the pride of someone who's been here for years instead of months. He and Saralee had better luck selling their home back in Z-hills and offered up several ideas, imploring us to "get out of Florida once and for all."

While Chase bought round after round, and even our dinner, we talked about everything: trail running, politics, vasectomies, plastic surgery, tattoos, and tennis. My head is so much bigger than his - but he was polite enough not to notice.

This is the beginning of a wacky, western friendship.