Microsoft Acquaintances
Sometimes people mistakenly add me to their MSN lists. They confuse my email address with that of one of their friends. A few months ago, a young boy added me thinking I was a team mate from his baseball team. Thinking I was his friend, he started to chat with me. I wasn't sure if I knew him or not so I asked who he was. He said Conor. At first, I thought he was playing some sort of prank. Conor is my little brother's name. The little leaguer even spelled it in the same uncommon 'one n' way. But my brother Conor died in 2003.
Usually I just say goodbye to these mistaken acquaintances and let us each get on with our lives. But this time I wanted to chat. I wanted to hear what this Conor's life was like. I wanted him to tell me about his little league team, his school, his friends. Deep down part of me wanted to pretend for a few moments that I was chatting with my little brother. But he knew better than to talk with strangers. So he left.