What was I thinking?

Opportunities lost….whether it be for Mister/Miss Right…or Mister/Miss Right Now…we all have those times in our lives when we have 20/20 hindsight and wonder, "why didn't I…..". I've got two examples:

First - I was 17 and being recruited to play water polo at UCLA. My dad and uncle joined me and it was a great trip. The coach offered me an opportunity to join the team and I jumped at it. So it was time to celebrate and my dad and uncle took me to a local restaurant/bar. As they enjoyed a beer (and I had a Coke since I was not 21) at the bar a very beautiful older woman engaged me in conversation. She was very nice and seemed enthralled with the conversation. From my perspective I was thinking that everyone in town was very nice and it reinforced my choice of college. After about an hour of talking I was nudged by dad and uncle telling me we had to leave. I said my goodbyes and she gave me her business card. In the car, they busted out laughing…..they instantly asked if I realized she was picking up on me. I responded "no", which made them laugh even harder. Talk about the "Mrs. Robinson" scenario - let's just say had I been more in tune with what was going on, I would've loved the "learning opportunity".

Second - I was out at my favorite surf spot two weeks ago and struck up a conversation with a female surfer. She was very nice and we chatted between waves. It's always best to have a "buddy" in the water for safety purposes and she and I were only two of about half a dozen people in the water. For context - I had had a grueling week at work and wasn't firing on all cylinders mentally (i.e. - I was seriously blonde that morning). We got out of the water together and continued to talk as we got out of our wetsuits and put away our boards (and yes - I did notice her very nice figure in the wetsuit - which leaves nothing to the imagination). She even asked me what I was doing the rest of the weekend. I told her and strayed to a different topic of conversation. We said our goodbyes with the hopes of bumping into each other again at this surf spot….and we went on our merry ways. A week later a guy I knew casually asked me if I had met "so and so" and I said yes - we'd met and surfed the week before. He then asked if I was attached. I said "no". He then asked me why I didn't ask for her number. I was confused and he said that he had bumped into her the next day and she was asking about me….and that she was a little bummed I hadn't asked for her number. I start replaying that morning in my mind and recount the signals she was sending and I wasn't receiving. Talk about "swing and a miss".

I'm guessing I'm not the only one with similar stories….so now it's your turn - spill.