This story deserves a special post of its own because it is hilarious.

Random Picture of the day: looking up the runway at Pole.

So there I was. Eating lunch in the Galley on Saturday with the rest of the SPT folks. This red-head girl walks up to the table and taps me on the shoulder. "Are you Kyle Story?" "Um, yes…?" and she just turns her head and walks away! About 4 seconds later I turn to the exit where she just left and throw out a, "And you are…?" We were all sitting around the table saying, "what just happened?" After discussing various conspiracy theories about how she would know who I was, we decided that the best course of action would be for me to figure out her name by asking around, and the next time I saw her in the hall, walk up to her and say, "Hey, are you Alexis?" (name changed for anonymity) and walk away.

Fast forward 5 hours. I'm now stuffing my face with pizza at dinner after a quick workout at the climbing gym. This guy Jason who I know from the Cornell Outing club goes past and I flag him down. I had just met him 2 hours previous on my way out to the wall and found out he was working as a GA (General Assistant). So I ask him if he knows a red-head GA, and tell him about how she knew who I was at lunch. He says, "huh, you must be famous!" and walks away.

Fast forward 2 more hours. I am now hanging out in the Science room, at a Wine and Cheese party thrown by the Metrology folks. Us SPT people are standing in a circle talking, when we notice the red-head is across the room. The guys start goading me, telling me I should go over there and talk to her. We find out her name is Alexis. So 10 minutes late I wander over to her group. I budge into the circle next to her, but she is talking to an older gentleman. So I stand awkwardly for several minutes, trying to listen to the gentleman. The SPT folks are obviously watching and laughing at me (I'd be doing the same in their place, for sure!). Finally the conversation dies down, and I ask the gentleman about an awesome silver ice-axe and goldline pin on his lapel. I find out that he is from Silverton CO and has done a fair bit of climbing and skiing. In any case, he decides to go get a glass of wine, and I turn to Alexis, who just starts cracking up. Turns out that Jason, my friend from Cornell, is indeed responsible! He dared Alexis to ask talk to me at lunch. She meant to say more at that time, but started cracking up and high-tailed it for the exit. Jason was watching the whole thing, and apparently the reaction of our table was priceless! Well played!