When I get famous, someone's going to find this on the internet and write a fanfic about it. JUST YOU WAIT!

So, after reading the craigslist fine print, I realized that posts go away after 30 days. My no-longer-missed connection, however, needs to be preserved for posterity. FOR POSTERITY.

Proof, my friends, that people are awesome and being an internet creeper sometimes pays off.

My post:

To the Sticky Rice sushi chef who knew a thing or two about octopi (Sticky Rice: the take-out portion)

Sure, maybe missed connections are an awkward medium. Sure, maybe if you (or a co-worker) stumble across this ad responding to it would be FAR too weird for any normal person to do, so you won’t do it. Sure, it’s pretty likely that you’ll never read this so it won’t make a difference either way. Still, at the end of the day, who doesn’t secretly want a missed connection written about them? I’ve decided that the potential good a missed connection can introduce into the world outweighs its impractical nature. To make this totally legit, I’ll try to write it in standard missed-connections speak.

You: the hipster-beautiful sushi chef working in the take-out part of Sticky Rice Friday night.

Me: the girl in the red coat who tried octopus for the first time.

We connected when you pushed adventurous eating and I awkwardly found myself unable to use the word “octopus” and, instead, really needed to identify the entire class – “cephalopod.” When I say “connected” I really mean, “chatted briefly” but, you seemed friendly, nice, and fun.

I was actually only in Richmond for the weekend (I live almost 3 hours away) – so I can’t really say something like “hit me up for a coffee and maybe we can continue that conversation about cephalopods and the way oxygen is carried throughout their blood streams” but, you know, I guess…good job? Good job being really friendly, interesting, and (as far as I can tell) good at your job. My sushi – with and without the octopus – was delicious. Yes: good job. Good job knowing interesting things about octopi, and rolling a mean sushi, and being (you must know it’s true) really amazingly handsome in a seemingly not-conceited way. Good job on that one.

We have hundreds of small interactions with people daily, and I just wanted to let you know that this one made a difference in my evening. Thanks for introducing me to octopus, and for being nice to a loud and giggly group of 20somethings, and for being part of what looks like a really friendly and wonderful dining establishment. Good job, in general – and good luck in work, life, and other octopus-related endeavors.

His response:

Re: To the Sticky Rice sushi chef who knew a thing or two about octopi

hello. i'm that sushi chef to whom your missed connection was in regard...

i'd just like to say that i do have a girlfriend, but your missed connection was the best missed connection that i've ever read about anyone, so good, in fact, that it has (obviously) generated an overwhelmingly positive response from its subject (me).

i would also like to say that i am honored to have received it, and although you live 3 hours away, if you ever end up at sticky rice, or of course its takeout franchise while i'm working, expect more sushi and conversation.