You cannot imagine my surprise when, the following day, as I am setting up my new blog and fiddling with fonts and templates, an email arrives, from Mr. Unusual.

“Feeling better” reads the subject line.

Very sorry about yesterday. Must have been a 24 hour flu. I slept all day.

Feeling better now. Having a good weekend?

Let me know what next Sunday looks like for you. I am out of town  this week starting Tuesday and I have my son tomorrow for the holiday and the evening.

This all feels like a lie to me, but then again, I can understand someone having a panic attack or a bad day or whatever. He said he would follow up and he did: points for that.

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Over lunch, my friend tells me some important things about online dating.

First of all, I’m doing quite well. She can’t even get most of them off the computer.

Seriously? I say. What’s the point of that – to chat endlessly online and never meet someone?

Beats me, she says, but that’s how they work. They’re too afraid to do things in person, I think. Safer to be behind a keyboard. I have most of my relationships via keyboard these days.

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While I’m waiting for my friends to arrive, I call my father and bring him up to speed.

This is torture, I tell him. I rant and rave and laugh at my own jokes. I’m on a roll.

I cannot believe the absurdity of my life right now.

You sound great, he says. Energized!

I feel free! I tell him. I’ve just discovered a new restaurant! I just found out I’m the kind of person who people like enough to change their plans for! I feel like I’ve been sprung from jail!

Then why are you upset? he asks.

Because I have so much I want to say and I can’t say it!

Why can’t you say it? he asks.

Because the divorce lawyer told me, no blogging, no Twitter, no Facebook, keep your mouth shut until everything has been signed by the judge. I am mute for my own good.

Hah, says my father. You need a stealth blog. An anonymous blog.

Oh. That’s a good idea. Suddenly, my mind is full of possibilities.

I already have a blog, of course, and one with a lot of readers at that. Among those readers: The Departed, The Foreigner, my mom. Bachelor #3. I can see them all stop in and visit.

I could never really say what I wanted to say, I had to edit myself so carefully.

I’ve been in jail, and now I’m sprung – at last, I tell my father. An anonymous blog.

Finally, I feel free.

So while I meet my friends for pie (two kinds!), my father sets up my new blog for me.

Welcome, strangers.