What is up with the wives of my old friends tracking me down all of a sudden?

I don't exactly make myself difficult to find on the Internet. I maintain this site, I practically live on LiveJournal, I have a Flickr account and an Amazon wishlist and a Yahoo page that's so woefully outdated I still sporadically get date requests. I've even created an account on Myspace because everybody uses it, even though it allows those people to stab me in the eyes with their page layouts. Basically, I want to be found, and I'm glad it happens -- but I expected it to be by the guys I've befriended in the past, not their significant others.

Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised it's the women reaching me. Survey memes aside, there's never been a question as to whether I get along with women better than men. I've only had female dogs, almost all of my roommates have been women, and as I've touched on girls were my friends as early as elementary school. In fact, my longest and most constant friendship in the world (even though we only get to hang out maybe once every other year) is with a girl I met when I was eight years old. My relationship with Jenny is warm, true, and miraculously uncomplicated, whereas most of my male friends have phased in and out with the tides.

But now they re-emerge, through the embodiment of their feminine counterparts. I'd like to say they're glad to find me, and wish to participate in sharing and conversation as in the past, but mostly I'm chalking up this phenomenon to spousal encouragement. (Please note I did not say "nagging." I would never call it nagging, because I am possessed of a wife myself, and there exists a possibility that through extrapolation and comparison on her part upon reading this entry, I'd go home to disgruntled unamusement -- again, note, not a "guilt trip.") And, perhaps not so oddly, the women are the ones with whom I more frequently converse.

Right now, in fact, I'm IMing with the fiancee of my high school best friend. We first met at his sister's wedding, and it took this woman all of two minutes to take a shine to me. By contrast, he and I played together for nearly a year in elementary school before we realized we were friends.

My befriending by betrothed and brides isn't limited to meatspace, however -- it happens in online venues as well. One of my old college friends has long since dropped off the planet, but his wife is obviously well and sound, as evidenced by her recent out-of-the-blue message to me. I've never even had the opportunity to meet the woman -- I attended their wedding, but had to cut out before the reception to go to work. And yet here she is, finding entry into my life.

Not that I'm complaining. I never mind making new friends, or uncovering old ones. And as a human being, any interest in oneself is nice to receive, whomever the delivering party. Still, my brain can't help but shout, "Who are you women and where were you before we were all married?"