The651.com

I’ve been calling Saint Paul, “Saint Small,” for quite some time now because every once in a while I experience a situation that makes me think the entire city of Saint Paul is the size of Rice Park.

What started as a simple trip to find a wedding band started a whole new Saint Small episode.

Case in point, last Saturday my fiance and I went to R.F. Moeller Jewelers to  pick out my wedding band.   We found my band in about 10 minutes (I’m not the pickiest person in the world) and then we just mingled around while our friend Jamie rang it up.  With one eye on the Gopher basketball game I noticed another sales rep talking to a guy about putting something on his significant other’s (SO) wish list.  I thought to myself “that damned wishlist marketing technique” but I also remembered the guy’s face.

We left R.F. Moeller and while we stood on the corner waiting to cross the street, I noticed the same guy from the store across the street on the sidewalk with his SO.  I lost track of where they disappeared to but we decided to poke our heads into Patina and see what they had for unique gifts–it was our anniversary and I needed a little something to say “I love you.”  As I perused the uniquely laid out store, I saw the same guy from R.F. Moeller, now with his SO shopping in Patina.  I thought it was kinda weird but not too crazy as the stores are simply across the street from each other.  This all happened around 2:00pm.

Fast forward through the rest of the day and right up to our 7:30 pm diner reservation at the Strip Club.  Yes, I took my future wife to a Strip Club for our anniversary–a Strip Club that serves fantastic New York Strips and Shrimp Risotto.  We had a great little table for two upstairs and as we ordered our beverages, I looked down to check out the crowd and atmosphere below.  To my amazement, it was the same guy from R.F. Moeller and Patina with his SO sitting directly below us at the Strip Club.

All sorts of thoughts permeated my brain–were they secret service, a crazy ex-boyfriend of my fiance’s stalking us or just another victim of SSS–Saint Small Syndrome.

I wanted to go down and say something to them but I thought, what if this guy was buying an engagement ring for his SO at R.F. Moeller and I come along as the schmuck stranger and blow his whole night.  Definitely not cool.  So I

waited and contemplated and watched them from above.  They were very into each other, she had a ring on her left ring finger, and they seemed to be into their wine.  I figured I had to say something.  We finished up our dinner and decided we had to say something.

We walked down the cool spiral staircase in the Strip Club and approached them at the bar.  I said, “You don’t know us but we’ve seen you at R.F. Moeller, Patina and now here.  We’re staying at the Holiday Inn tonight for our anniversary and if you show up there, we’re calling the cops.”  They started to laugh and we had a good chat about SSS and how we were all victims that day.

We went to the Holiday Inn and they never showed–thank goodness.

It just goes to show you that even when you’re on the off beaten path, people–even complete strangers, can and will find you.