626.
Vignette
Y'all
I went to a nearby pool the other day because mine was being worked on and a German resident who I slightly knew entered the gate. Trying to be friendly I knew his name began with a vowel and blurted 'Excuse me is your name 'Olie?' His reaction was sudden and severe, saying 'Do I look like an Olie? Jesus Christ.' From being friendly to suddenly being put on the defensive I hesitatingly answered 'I don't know.' He didn't respond. The vibes were awful. I said 'what is your name?' He answered 'Elmer.' Not another word was said. A relaxing break in the day became a tense break in the day. So unneeded.
A week has past and to this day I'm not sure who went wrong. Was I glib, careless, not really thoughtful to his worth? Was he just being mean, grumpy, ugly? I know it's a small happening in the whole of things but I still wonder. Even though small, it was a violation of sorts and yes, another little 'why' was asked.