In the last post St Augustine called love a 'fortunate accident', I think that's so true. Its amazing how one's life can be changed by the mundane. I don't believe in love at first sight, maybe attraction at first sight because I'm not sure if you can love someone you haven't spoken to before....but hey, just because it didn't happen to me doesn't mean it doesn't exist! If I'd known today where SO and I would be the first day we met, I guess I would have marked it in my diary or made a particular effort with my appearance e.t.c..
Actually, we met at the end of quite a stressful day. I hope I don't have to repeat this story to my daughter if I have one because we both broke fundamental rules that day. Our first meeting was as seat partners on an international flight which lasted about 6 hours. I was tired and stressed from running around all day, just to find out as I was about to board that my friend who was supposed to pick me up from the airport at the other end wasn't going to show. My head was throbbing and I asked for a painkiller before we had even taken off. I can't remember if he was seated before me or if I had to stand up. There were certainly no sparks and I'm not sure I even said hello or anything. If I remember correctly his first words to me were 'What are you going to watch? You can tell about a person's tastes from the movie that they choose'....in my mind I was like 'wierdo' but I think I went with 'XXX' which he had seen before and said was good. So I was there in my own world, watching the movie till I snoozed. When I woke up, I realised he was chatting with the other person on our row and they included me in the conversation. We were all just chatting about general things. I got to know that he was going to work straight from the airport, we talked about my friend stitching me up.
He asked if 'we' could hang out while I was around, I smiled but in my head was like 'I don't think so'...I was really old school then 'don't talk to strangers and all that', he gave me his number and I had no intention of calling him. However, it turned out that he was a big help to me that day. Even though he was going to work, he went out of his way to set me on my way. I think I must have sent a text once during my trip just to say thanks and returned home without thinking too much about it. He did reply asking if we could do something but I wasn't really forthcoming so we just left it at that. I was really grateful that he helped a total stranger but like I said I didn't think too much about it.
When I got home, real life took over, school and all. I can't remember when I received a message from him but we just started chatting back and forth...not everyday, not even every week just once in a while. One day he called to say he was coming to my city and wanted to know if we could have lunch. I said ok, even then it was just chatting about what we were both up to, we said our goodbyes, he left. A few months later, I found myself on a plane back to where he lived this time on a more permanent arrangement. I did tell him I would be coming and he said he would pick me up this time...lol! I guess I'm slow eh? Writing this has made me realise that...lol! I wouldn't say I fell in love with him that day but I began to realise how kind he really was. It's one of the top 5 words to describe SO that he is a very kind man. My plane was delayed, I don't think I came out till 2 hours after the original arrivals time. And he was still waiting, he had called my mum, (yes I gave my mum his number and vice versa) just to find out if I indeed was on the plane.
Anyhoo, we would go out from time to time. I was looking for a job and I remember him taking I and my sister out as we went round looking. He was really supportive because the first few months of my relocation were quite tough. We began to talk about different things, my plans for the future, my thoughts on relationships e.t.c. I can't remember when things changed just that they did. It was like I was asleep one day and then I woke up! Lol! Later on, he told me that he had just extricated himself from a relationship because he realised that it wasn't because he wanted to be with her but because he wanted everyone else including his parents thought that they would be a good match. I remember his words that day 'Dare to be different, walk the uncommon path'..hmm and then one day everyday changed..
To be continued
There are bits of this story missing but I think I will put them in forthcoming posts..
Live.love.learn
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