Five

Background: My niece goes to a daycare run by a Ukrainian lady named Ella.  The other day Ella told my sister, “I have a man for your sister.  He is handsome, tall, and a professional.  I was going to set him up with another lady, but she has three kids, so I think it is too much baggage.  So he is for your sister.  Here is his email address.”  Let me be clear, my interactions with Ella are limited to “Hi, how are you, thank you, see you tomorrow” twice a week when I pick up my niece from daycare.  Basically I have nothing to lose with this potential match-making attempt, so why not?

To: Five

From: Penelope

Subject: Hello from Ella’s friend

Hi Five!

My niece goes to Ella’s daycare, and Ella thought you and I should meet.  My schedule is all over the place these days, but I’m definitely up for meeting you sometime.  Let me know if you would like to meet.

Penelope Jones

415.555.7949

A few hours later I answer a phone call from a blocked number, which turned out to be Five.

Me: Hello

Five: Is this Penelope?

Me: Yes

Five: Penelope Jones?

Me: Yes.  Who is this (insert confused tone here)?

Five: This is Five.  You sent me an email today.  So how do you know Ella?

Me: Oh, Five, hi!  Yeah, my niece goes to Ella’s daycare, and Ella told my sister you and I should meet.

Five: Oh, well, I talked to my sister-in-law when I got your email, and we thought it might be a scam of some kind.  I didn’t realize Ella had my email address, I don’t know how she got it.  So you live in Lafayette then?

Me: Lafayette?  No.  I live in the city.

Five: Oh, then I don’t understand how you’ve met Ella.  She doesn’t have daycare.

Me: Um, yeah, the daycare is in my neighborhood.  Um?  I’m not sure we’re talking about the same Ella.  Ella is the Ukrainian lady who runs the daycare.

Five: What?  Oh I don’t know who that is, but my niece is Ella.  (Insert our combined confused laughter here).  So I’m not sure who your Ella is.

Me: Well, she’s a Ukrainian lady that runs the daycare where my niece goes.  She gave my sister your email address.  I think maybe your mom and her mom know each other?

Five: Wait, is she Russian?

Me: She’s Ukrainian, but yeah she speaks Russian.  (haven’t I already said Ukrainian a few times?) She’s short, round, and has dark short hair.

Five: Oh, Evalina!  Wait, should I be calling her Ella?

Me: Since there’s a chance we still might not be talking about the same person, I’d say you should keep calling her whatever you’ve been calling her.

Five: I guess so.  Now that this is all kind of cleared up, thanks for reaching out to me – I'd love to meet you.

Conclusion: Five is going to Hawaii for a week, but he’s supposed to call me when he’s back to set up a time to meet.  We’ll see.  Oh, Ella/Evalina.