Crossed Signals and Misunderstandings

So I went to see a show tonight with a friend and afterwards I was supposed to meet some other people at that very same place. Well, my friend left after talking on the phone to one of the people that was supposed to meet us because she was tired. What I didn't know is that she was told that the others wouldn't be coming either because one of them didn't feel well. I waited for around 45 minutes until finally finding out I was not going to be meeting anyone tonight. I was angry, I'll admit it. A little hurt even, that this friend would just leave as if nothing was wrong and everything was just as we'd planned. That is, until, I spoke to her about the situation. The way she understood the information was that I would be going to meet our friends instead.

This is what made me think of tonight's topic. Crossed signals and misunderstandings can mean everything. Just a little mix up can change a person's night or sometimes, even their feelings. Did you ever stop to think just how often signals get crossed in life? Imagine you are at a party and you see a cute guy or girl. They look at you, smile, maybe even wave a little. It feels like they like you. Like they have that same feeling in their stomache that you have just looking at them. You want to talk to them, but what do you say? Little do you know, they just saw you looking at them and felt bad because they thought you knew each other, but they couldn't remember your name.

Or, you're at a party and you are talking to somebody you are really attracted to. They seem pretty interested in you too. You kiss, you talk some more, then you part ways. After this night, every time you see this person they act like you've barely said more than two words to each other. Or they may even automatically assume that you want to date them so they try to stay away because they aren't looking to get serious. The kiss just happened though, it had nothing to do with anything. But still, signals get crossed, maybe ruining what could have been a blossoming friendship.

And of course, as the beginning of the post shows, there are also verbal misunderstandings. Someone says one thing, but the person they're talking to takes it a completely different way. Or maybe they even think you said something completely different. For example, while waiting for a shuttle to get to Oakland last weekend, my friend Hayley and I went up to one. The driver opened the door and said what we thought was "Flu shots?" After a while of standing there, confused, which I am sure was showing up on our faces, we shook our heads no and stepped away from the shuttle. It took us a few minutes, but we eventually realized she was saying "Food shops?" We forgot that it was Sunday and shuttles were taking kids to grocery stores that day.

Misunderstandings and crossed signals can be as simple as that little exchange of words or they can be as complicated as any of the situations that I mentioned earlier. My point though? They make life difficult and I hate them. I wish they didn't exist. What do you think?

Best Superbowl Commercial of '09?
Thank you Doritos!


P.S. GO STEELERS!!!!!