If friends were flowers, I'd pick Carrie

First, a warning.

I fully understand I might come across as sounding a bit kooky with this post. But I promise, I don't have stalker tendencies - anymore. (I mean, there was that one time I jumped over a barbed wire fence to meet Sebastian Bach of Skid Row... seriously, I have the scar on my hand to prove it.)

It's just that there's this girl I like.

Her name is Carrie and she works a few cubicles down from me. I met her about a year ago when she came to me with a conundrum. She couldn't remember the title of a book she loved as a youth. We tried to narrow it down, but alas, there are millions of kids stories about horses. Since I work for the Young Alberta Book Society , Carrie thought I might have an edge in helping her hunt down the book's title.

I've employed all of my research tactics - and come up blank.

Since that first introduction, Carrie and I have met in the hall maybe four times. Last week I sought out her office to deliver the bad news. We talked for about an hour - and not about the horse book.

The next day, Carrie dropped by my office and we got into an amazing discussion about creativity. Turns out she's an illustrator and a graphic designer. We chatted for another two hours.

It's been a weird year of friendships for me, and I've learned some hard lessons. I married my very best friend and am delighted to watch the friendship between my stepdaughter and I bloom.  I've released the toxic people from my life, reacquainted myself with childhood friends, and surrounded myself with a core group of wonderful people (from all around the world) who support one another (and me) through all of the ups and downs of life. For these people, I'd give my life.

I want Carrie to be among that group.

Ok, so maybe I am crazy - or perhaps there's just something about her that really is that magnetic.

In the short time we've known each other, we confess to sharing more about ourselves than is our personal normal. And over the past two days, we've moved our spontaneous chats to the lunch room, and even began making plans to get together outside of the building - working out, going for coffee, introducing our spouses, maybe even collaborating on a project. This afternoon we even - finally - exchanged phone numbers. (I'm already thinking about hitting handsome hubby up for a double date this weekend...)

For some reason, this adds a bit of spring to my step on this otherwise gloomy, rainy day.

I'm a social person and meeting new people has never been difficult for me. But after this last year, I've sheltered my heart from those who come on too strong or who don't seem the type to hang on for the long haul. I'm not interested in being "flavour of the week."

Something tells me I don't need to worry about that with Carrie.

So am I nuts? Or have you ever met someone, even briefly, and known somehow that this person would become one of your closest friends? What personality traits draw you to the people you consider your best buds?

PS - Carrie's favourite kids book (she thinks its a picture book) is about horse racing and a stallion that didn't quite make the grade. In true "Little Engine That Could" style, the horse trains and trains...and ends up victorious. No, we don't have much more detail. Ideas?

The Book In My Bag Today: Industrial Magic, Kelley Armstrong