A week after I was in the Ms. Wheelchair Tennessee contest, Glen and I went to Gatlinburg. On our way home we stopped at one of our favorite little restaurants. It's called the Dinner Bell and it's right off the interstate.
We were seated in the back room by the window right in front of their old upright piano. Close to us was a table of three men, who turned out to be truckers. One of them immediately started talking to me. He wanted me to play that piano. I explained that I didn't know how to play but he wouldn't let it go.
I told Glen that if I didn't know better I would say he was hitting on me but who does that right in front of your husband. Glen laughed and said, "He thinks I'm your dad."
We tried our best to ignore him but not be rude. We never like to leave our table unattended when we're at a buffet so I went and got my food and then Glen went. The trucker didn't say much while we were all eating till I was coming back from getting my dessert and Glen left to get his. He stopped me when I went by their table and said, "Aren't you the first runner up in Ms. Wheelchair Tenn?"
I was shocked. My mouth probably hit my lap. I tried to be cool but my mind is racing. How could he know that? I asked if he was from Knoxville, thinking sense the winner was from there it could have been in the news. He explained they were all truckers. He was from Virginia, one was from New York and one was from Kentucky. He said he saw it on the Internet. WHAT??? What site could he have been looking at and why. This just didn't make sense. Then Mr. Virginia, the flirt, asks for my autograph. I graciously do that and then the other two decide they had to have one too. This is just not happening. I am flattered but terrified all at the same time. Glen comes back and wonders what's going on. I tell him I will be right there. This isn't a big restaurant so everyone in our room heard all that had transpired and were getting quite the kick out of it.
Mr. Virginia explained that they travel 75 often but had never stopped there before. He said Mr Kentucky actually wasn't a trucker. "He's only the escort, lights guy." It was very condescending and I didn't like it so I shook Mr. Kentucky's hand and said, "I am so glad to meet you. I love the escort, lights guy!" Mr. Virginia turns to the room of people and says "And that my friends, is why SHE is Ms. Congeniality!" Everyone laughed and I told them it was nice to meet them and went back to my table.
Glen said, "What was that all about?"
"I'll tell you on the way home. You're not going to believe it"
The whole incident haunted me the rest of the day. How could they have know? What website were they on and why? Where is my picture that I don't know about?
I was laying in bed that night still trying to figure it all out. Someone had to have been in that diner that knew me and told them but didn't speak to me. That had to be it. WAIT! Someone in that diner DID know me and he was right across the table and was in my bathroom right now. So this is how that conversation went.
"Glen, I am going to ask you a question and you're going to tell me the truth. YOU told those guys when I went to get my food."
"No I didn't"
"Yes you did. That is the only way they could have known. You can say no you didn't till your blue in the face but I know you and I know you told them."
Silence......
"OK, here's what happened. You went to get your food and Virginia said, "That sure is a sweet little lady you got there" and then I proceeded to tell them the news and then Virginia went on his phone and looked it up on the Internet.
So mystery solved. My husband was so proud of himself for pulling one over on me. I have to say, he got me good. What a crazy day!
We were seated in the back room by the window right in front of their old upright piano. Close to us was a table of three men, who turned out to be truckers. One of them immediately started talking to me. He wanted me to play that piano. I explained that I didn't know how to play but he wouldn't let it go.
I told Glen that if I didn't know better I would say he was hitting on me but who does that right in front of your husband. Glen laughed and said, "He thinks I'm your dad."
We tried our best to ignore him but not be rude. We never like to leave our table unattended when we're at a buffet so I went and got my food and then Glen went. The trucker didn't say much while we were all eating till I was coming back from getting my dessert and Glen left to get his. He stopped me when I went by their table and said, "Aren't you the first runner up in Ms. Wheelchair Tenn?"
I was shocked. My mouth probably hit my lap. I tried to be cool but my mind is racing. How could he know that? I asked if he was from Knoxville, thinking sense the winner was from there it could have been in the news. He explained they were all truckers. He was from Virginia, one was from New York and one was from Kentucky. He said he saw it on the Internet. WHAT??? What site could he have been looking at and why. This just didn't make sense. Then Mr. Virginia, the flirt, asks for my autograph. I graciously do that and then the other two decide they had to have one too. This is just not happening. I am flattered but terrified all at the same time. Glen comes back and wonders what's going on. I tell him I will be right there. This isn't a big restaurant so everyone in our room heard all that had transpired and were getting quite the kick out of it.
Mr. Virginia explained that they travel 75 often but had never stopped there before. He said Mr Kentucky actually wasn't a trucker. "He's only the escort, lights guy." It was very condescending and I didn't like it so I shook Mr. Kentucky's hand and said, "I am so glad to meet you. I love the escort, lights guy!" Mr. Virginia turns to the room of people and says "And that my friends, is why SHE is Ms. Congeniality!" Everyone laughed and I told them it was nice to meet them and went back to my table.
Glen said, "What was that all about?"
"I'll tell you on the way home. You're not going to believe it"
The whole incident haunted me the rest of the day. How could they have know? What website were they on and why? Where is my picture that I don't know about?
I was laying in bed that night still trying to figure it all out. Someone had to have been in that diner that knew me and told them but didn't speak to me. That had to be it. WAIT! Someone in that diner DID know me and he was right across the table and was in my bathroom right now. So this is how that conversation went.
"Glen, I am going to ask you a question and you're going to tell me the truth. YOU told those guys when I went to get my food."
"No I didn't"
"Yes you did. That is the only way they could have known. You can say no you didn't till your blue in the face but I know you and I know you told them."
Silence......
"OK, here's what happened. You went to get your food and Virginia said, "That sure is a sweet little lady you got there" and then I proceeded to tell them the news and then Virginia went on his phone and looked it up on the Internet.
So mystery solved. My husband was so proud of himself for pulling one over on me. I have to say, he got me good. What a crazy day!
