Dapper man in the Ikea

I went to the Ikea on the way home today to pick up a few odds and ends while I was in the greater Philadelphia area.  Normally, this would not be worth blogging about except this day at a little corner of Sweden, I had a fail.

While waiting to check out I noticed the guy in front of me was decked out in a stylish jacket, shirt, tie, and jeans, which was rather dapper attire for being in an Ikea at four in the afternoon.  Then I noted he was bald and looked a bit like George Hrab.  Then it struck me, could this be THE George Hrab apparently buying what looked to be a lot of umbrellas.  (I am not judging.  I was standing there balancing a plate, two bowls, and a blanket, and batteries as I failed to get a big yellow Ikea bag.  The sharply dressed bald guy not only had a bag, but the blue bag that you actually own and can take home with you.  He was thinking way ahead.)

At this point I tried to recall the secret greeting for Hrab fans, and all I could think is "oscilloscope," which I knew was not correct.  I then recalled "I thought you would be taller," which is Karl Mamer's secret greeting.

I purchased my stuff, and at this point I am trying to stare, while trying not to stare, while trying not to look like I am trying not to stare -if you get my meaning.  On the way to garage the secret word hits me "Vibraphone!"  So now the possible mystery man is getting his car a row away from my car, and I think do I just shout out Vibraphone! and see what happens? If Lady was with me, she would have just gone up to Dapper-man and asked "Are you George Hrab?"  I just got in my car wondering, that could not be George Hrab.

Well, after a few twitter exchanges with Hayley Stevens, who shared that she was quite short, and Kylie Sturgess who shared that George is not tall,  and then finally a tweet from George Hrab stating that it was indeed him at the Ikea, did I finally learn my suspicions were correct.

What have I learned from all of this?  One, George Hrab and I shared the use of the same Ikea.  Two, I am stupidly shy.  Three, George Hrab even dresses damn sharp when getting a few things at Ikea.  Fourth, Twitter is a great resource for random stuff.  Five, if you think you may have run into a rock star skeptic who, for example, is going to be the Master of Ceremonies of TAM 9 from outer space it just might be and you should say "hi" or "vibraphone."