Everywhere I go, there you are

My friends and I seem to have people in our lives that, no matter how much we try to avoid them, just keep showing up. They're like toilet paper stuck to the bottom of our shoes (annoying), or road construction in Michigan in the summer (impossible to avoid).

Two such people made appearances in the last 48 hours.

Person number one is someone my friends and I refer to as Big Head Little Dog.

Big Head Little Dog came in to our lives via E-Harmony. When all my single girlfriends in the area were matched with this guy, we all realized: 1. E-Harmony's "matching" system is full of crap (it's all about geography - it's not about 57.5 dimensions of compatibility or whatever lies they tell in their commercials) and 2. We had seen this guy before -  he's "that guy" with the big head who we've all spotted one time or another walking a little dog in the condo complex of one of said friends (hence, his nickname).

An interesting twist came about when yet another friend was not only matched with him, she went out with him a few times. Fortunately for her, she could not get over how ridiculously large his head is and moved on to better suitors.

For real, people, this guy has a total pumpkin head.

Anyway, my poor friend who had the misfortune to go out with Big Head Little Dog a few times sees this guy everywhere. He makes it really awkward, because he likes to pretend they don't know one another. I could write PAGES of stories of what my friends and I call "Big Head Little Dog sightings," but I will refrain. Trust me when I say, we see this guy everywhere.

This friend who "dated" Big Head Little Dog (she would prefer I use the term "dated" loosely since, as she said today, they "never even rode in a car together" - it wasn't exactly what one would call a "relationship"), spotted him and his fiancée (apparently if you are a man and you stay on E-Harmony long enough you can find true love, even if you have a ridiculously large head) at church on Easter and, of course, on the way out of church they all ran smack dead into one another and awkwardness ensued.

Person number two is someone I run in to constantly. I'd prefer to never run in to her. In this case, the piece of toilet paper stuck to my shoe is a former co-worker who hates me. I have a nickname for her (because, according to a sorority sister, I have a nickname for everyone). It involves her first name which I would prefer not to share. To protect her identity I will just call her "Mean (Name)."

I suppose I am "that person" Mean (Name) just irrationally hates for no apparent reason. I was always nice to her (and I am not nice to everyone) and we actually have quite a bit in common but for whatever reason, she hates me and she's not afraid to show it.

Mean (Name) actually tried to destroy my career with my current organization by bad-mouthing me to everyone and anyone who would listen. Thankfully, most people realized she was just full of hot air and while I got promoted (repeatedly) her career stalled out and she eventually left the organization.

Despite her new career path, I see Mean (Name) everywhere!

I've run in to her at festivals, bars, parades - you name it. I even ran in to her one time at a concert - across the state. And it is always awkward.

Let's be real - when you know someone hates you, it is really uncomfortable when you have to look that individual in the eye and try to have a civil conversation.

Tonight I ran in to this individual again and while it was the least awkward of all my encounters with her in recent years, it was still painful and uncomfortable.

Why do I keep running in to someone who hates me? Why does my friend keep running in to Big Head Little Dog? (I often see Big Head Little Dog around town - since we don't know one another I enjoy it because I am able to report back the sighting with no awkwardness). Is this some sort of cruel cosmic joke? Maybe the universe trying to keep us in check? Or, maybe the universe trying to give us a good laugh?

All I know is - this town is just not that big and it won't be long before I see both of them again!