Tara's Birthday

I got stuck working on a work project today that held me up significantly after work. I was originally supposed to go to my friend Tara's birthday party in time to be there by 6 PM, but as my project progressed, it quickly became apparent that there was no way I was going to make it in time. Still, I keep forging ahead, hoping that I'd finish in time to be only slightly late.

I was then surprised when at about 6:30 PM, my phone buzzed with a text. It was Neighbour Guy! Please keep in mind, I haven't heard heads of tails from Neighbour Guy since mid-December. And now he was texting me out of nowhere? In February?

The message said, "Adrian, keep remembering and forgetting to text back from ages ago, sorry! Had a very busy month, and next few weekends quite tied up but let's keep trying each other randomly. Am thinking of going to see a film tonight, prob late showing, need to get some work done first but let me know if of interest, [Neighbour Guy]".

Given at this point I was so stuck with work, I figured, what was the harm in saying yes? He texted back to say he would check the listings and get back to me within the hour.

Well, once an hour was almost up, he called (yes, actual phone-ringing-and-voice-speaking) to say he'd decided he'd over-scheduled himself, and that he was just going to be rational and say that he couldn't make it. I could totally understand that (as he was talking to the ultimate over-scheduler herself), and we had a nice little chat, with promises that we needed to get together for drinks soon.

Although as I mentioned we needed to get together before I left for Panama, he excitedly exclaimed, "Some buddies and I own property in Panama! Bought it after we were there surfing for a while." Of course you own property in Panama. Nobody I've spoken to thus far has ever even been to Panama, and you own property there? Anyway, he reassured me I could get away without taking anti-malarials, which was reassuring...

In the end, he said, "Anytime you're at loose ends in the next week or two, give me a call." And that was that.

So I kind of wondered, what had the point of that entire delay been? Not like I think God is acting in every little instance of our lives, but it had seemed so random, that there had to have been some sort of point right? Admittedly I'd gotten some more work done, but it was now 8:30 PM, and I still had yet to even leave for a party that had started at 6 PM.

I then set out, leaving the wonderfully delicious-smelling sausage casserole that my flatmate was making (she thought I was insane for leaving), and trekked all of the way out to the Bavarian Beerhouse at Old Street.

As soon as I arrived, the point of the delay was instantly apparent. Sitting at the long table was the Scottish Lawyer, with a seat open next to him!

The story on the Scottish Lawyer is that he's a chap I absolutely adore, a guy I used to run and play rugby with. Incredibly intelligent and bright, he was always a delight for me to chat with. I always used to joke that he "used" me for intellectual conversation when he was tired of talking to the dim bimbos that he always hits on. Given that he would buy me drinks for the privledge of talking to me however, I wasn't one to complain!

Yet, after a spate of unemployment, when he'd been offered a job on the island of Jersey, he thought it wise to accept, and so is no longer part of our London crowd. Still, he manages to make it back every so often, and was back to be inducted into the Law Society this weekend, and hence managed to spare the time to make it to Tara's birthday party.

As soon as I spotted him, I wrapped my arms around him in a giant hug, I was so delighted to see him. We then spent much of the rest of the evening eagerly talking and catching up, and he made me laugh with his witty and insightful observations of life, as always. It was funny when at one point Tara (the birthday girl) mentioned that another friend, seeing the two of us so at ease and so casually intimate with each other, had thought we were a couple. This made Tara laugh hysterically (as the Scottish Lawyer and I are most definitely not a couple!), but instead of getting all huffy and embarassed about it, I can say honestly that the Scottish Lawyer and I do share a special connection. Indeed, if the Scottish Lawyer didn't smoke and drink too much, I'm sure we would have been in bed together long ago. Yet, from the moment the Scottish Lawyer and I met each other, we circled each other with wary attraction tempered by our distain for the other's habits. (Mine for his smoking and drinking, his for my prim prudishness). Still, we seem to have settled for an incredible fondness for one another, so it doesn't entirely surprise me that other people should mistake us for a couple...

(But just because I know you're curious: No. Not ever. Not once. Not even a kiss. I just could never kiss a boy who smokes. But if he didn't smoke? Oh yes, totally).

The open seat was incredibly great not only for the opportunity it granted to spend time with the Scottish Laywer, but also as it allowed me to sit across from Miss Z, my old flatmate.

Miss Z was the first person I'd lived with in London, along with Amy (our friend who now lives in Australia). We met when we both showed up to take a tour of the house that we ended up living in, and even though we weren't sure about the house, we were incredibly sure of each other. We pretty much clicked from the word "go", exchanging numbers immediately and even calling each other that night to share our impressions of the place. Miss Z is responsible for all of my worst hangovers, is far more elegant than I could ever hope to me, and is just a wonderful person. (And incredibly observant, who instantly noticed that I was wearing the necklace that she had given me for my most recent birthday. I have to admit, I'd worn it thinking I might see Miss Z, but I still had to laugh at how instantly she spotted her own present!)

You can imagine how delightful-yet-bittersweet it was to see her that evening, when just that afternoon she had announced to the world on Facebook that she was leaving London. She'd warned me a while ago that the man she was living with might potentially be moving to the UAE, and they were living together almost in a trial run for her to see if she was willing to move with him to the UAE. I guess the "trial" was successful, as she was now off to Abu Dhabi for three years.

I'd never met the chap she was living with, a guy, as I understand it, whom she met through online dating. As you can imagine, given both the circumnstances of meeting and the fact that he was dragging my friend away from me, I was somewhat suspicious of him.

Yet, I have to say that after meeting him and really getting a chance to talk to him, I completely changed my tune. He just seemed like a really genuine, sweet, nice guy, one of those types who is a bit shy, but just looking for the right girl to appreciate all of their wonderful qualities. Luckily, Miss Z seems to have noticed what a nice chap he is, and as a result he just dotes on her for that. Perhaps I will allow this man to drag her off to the Middle East then...

As well throughout the evening, I got a chance to catch up with Princess and the birthday girl herself, sing "Happy Birthday" to the woman of the hour, and just have a lovely time with old friends. I might have been late, but I was so glad I came.

We ended the evening when they kicked us all out at 11 PM, and I walked out with the Scottish Laywer, giving him one last big long hug as we parted. He's not the man for me, but as he lives so far away in Jersey, I still miss him muchly.

So yet you might still wonder, "What on earth was up with Neighbour Guy?" I have to admit, I was as puzzled about the whole thing as you all are, but the next day I texted him around mid-day, saying, "Well that worked out well! After you called yesterday, I ended up going out and seeing a number of old friends I hadn't seen in a while. And while I was out, I saw a poster for the next film I'd like to see, 'Invictus' (a rugby movie!) How about it? Would you be up for an Orange 2-for-1 Wednesday?"

He replied almost instantly. "Adrian - that would be great, would love to see that."

{Sigh!} What is it with boys and their ways of messing with our heads? Inviting us out to movies out of nowhere, but then cancelling the same evening? Yet obviously so eager to spend time with us?

Oh well, I can't be bothered to worry too much about it, except to think, "Score! I'm going to see 'Invictus'!" Maybe that's all he's thinking too, but even if that's all we've got, it's a great excuse to see a great movie, no? Sometimes boys come in handy that way...