Why now

Why is it that now, of all times, people seem to come at me with gems like this? --

"That Skinny Girl margarita. Did you know Bethenny Frankel sold the rights to that drink mix to some big company for millions of dollars? ... And her dad left her and her mom when she was, like, three. She never forgave him for it. "

"No, I can see why." 

"Can you imagine doing that? The guy must have really hated his wife."

"Mmmm."

Then, Jim the butcher: "I need your husband's help."

Ah-hah.

It seems that Jim and his wife own houses locally which they rent out, and they have recently received an application from a would-be renter who claimed to work at the local fire department. They want to check up on this guy and find out if he really is employed there -- where my husband is (my daughter now calls her father simply "the Sir," and points toward the ceiling, in other words to the upstairs apartment, when speaking about him). I think Jim expected me to involve the Sir in this investigation in some way. I simply suggested he call the fire department, whose number I do know by heart after twenty-four years, and ask about the ostensible employee himself. I think he was somewhat taken aback by the simplicity of it.

The next day: "Are you John's wife?" the lady asked.

Ummm ...

She knows of him through the volunteer appearances he has put in at her grandchildren's schools. "Such a nice man. He said you worked here and that the next time I was in, I should look you up."

"Oh, yes! And what's your name?"

"Mary Costello."

"Oh, yes, that sounds familiar." So she went away flattered and pleased.