I was in Chicago visiting my friends Fuzzy (who took the picture) and Erica last Saturday and we went out to see Maria Bamford do her stand up show. It was a great evening and she's an amazing performer. She also happens to be from Duluth.

I was thinking to myself, "Gosh, I should go introduce myself after the show and let her know I'm from Duluth."

But then another neuron fired and said, "To what end? Why would she care? Clearly she's happy to be out of there."

"Yeah," said my more obsequious, starstruck self back, "but she might like me if I tell her I'm from her hometown and we'd strike up a fabulous friendship and that would be so cool."

And the more experienced, jaded self said, "Suuuuuure."

And then my little puppy dog self said, "Okay, never mind. It was just an idea."

After the show I was standing out in the lobby waiting for Fuzzy to finish using the little boy's room and all of a sudden Maria Bamford was standing next to me. There she was. And people weren't crowding her and actually the people there were talking to the opener. So then I opened my mouth.

"Err... Hi, I liked your set."

"Oh, thanks."

"Um, I'm visiting, actually, from Duluth."

"Oh, really? What part?"

"Oh, erm, actually I recently moved up to Two Harbors."

"Oh... go Agates!"

"Yeah..."

Thank God Fuzzy came out at that point.

So, the interesting thing on reflection is that she was at least as awkward with the conversation as I was. Oh well... live and learn... sorta.