Goodge Street Run

Just when I had been getting all panicked about not hearing from the Tall South African, and worrying if any boy was ever going to pay attention to me again, CBDB messaged me to ask if I was going to come running on Tuesday. Okay, so I know there's no potential of anything ever happening with CBDB, but at this point I just needed to know that a cute boy wanted to see me. Hence, I happily agreed to come.

As though that weren't motivation enough already, Oxford Boy texted me right at the end of the work day to make sure I was coming. So there's another reason to make it to the evening's run.

It had been raining all day, but cleared up in the evening, so it was actually quite warm out by the time of the run. I ran into Pork Pie at the Tube Station, and got a chance to talk to him for a bit, before being joined by a few of the older guys, who Pork Pie walked off with to the pub, leaving me with another girl. I'm always a bit confused by Pork Pie that way...the boy seems simultaneously thrilled to see me and always ignores me at the same time. Bizarre.

No matter though, as when I walked into the pub, Oxford Boy was sitting near the door, and pulled me down into a massive hug that quickly topped me over and had me sitting in his lap. Great to see him, and boy what an enthusiastic greeting! It took me a bit to sort myself out, and then I sat nestled in the crook of his arm for a bit, talking and catching up. He told me that he planned on coming to drinks the next day, and asked if he could bring his new girlfriend. Of course! And I have to admit, I'm curious to meet this girl.

Still, as much as I was enjoying snuggling with Oxford Boy, I jumped up when CBDB walked in the door. After all, want to make it clear that he's the one I'm more excited to see (even if I was cuddled up with another guy when he arrived). He told me that when he'd gotten down from Norfolk, he'd realised that he didn't have any running shorts, and had to run out at the end of the day and buy a £20 pair of running shorts in Canary Wharf. I had to laugh, but was impressed at his dedication to come running!

I didn't get a chance to talk to him too much, because then I got another great surprise when Matt arrived! Hurrah, all of my favourite people are here!

The run was good, very loopy, hence easy to short-cut but without many breaks or checks. I managed to keep pace with Matt for a while and tell him the news about Cookie and James, which surprised him (as I think it would anyone). Alas, I had no real details to provide, and was struggling to keep pace with Matt for what was proving to be a somewhat long conversation. Thankfully, after a bit he realised that I'd told him everything I knew, and skipped off to keep pace with the rest of the crowd.

Finally, at around 8 PM, we made it back to the pub, where I found myself standing outside stretching and talking to Oxford Boy about his plans to book a trip to Dubai to see his brother. I told him he should go for it. CBDB then appeared, and asked me if I wanted a drink. When I said yes, and started to tell him what I wanted, he cracked a smile and answered for me, "Guinness, I know." That just cracked me up, that he knew me so well as to know what I drink. What a guy.

Because I'm the sort of polite girl who realises that when somebody buys you a drink, it sort of obliges you to make conversation with them, I then left my conversation with Oxford Boy to go talk to CBDB. Plus as I told him when he expressed his pleasure that I'd come to join him, "Believe it or not, I enjoy your company!"

Admittedly, I spent so much time focused on CBDB that I fear I ignored Matt quite a bit, who I wished I had more time to talk to about the whole Cookie thing. I did manage to drag him into a conversation for a bit about Valentine's Day (which will be coming up on a Tuesday), where Matt explained he had set the bar low, and so probably wouldn't be doing anything with his girlfriend. CBDB told me about his plans to go to a football game that day (on some level, I have to admit he is such a working-class boy and we have nothing in common really), and I have to say, I'll probably be coming to the hash. Oh how romantic!

I then fetched another round of drinks for myself and CBDB, and we went upstairs with CBDB where a small group was gathering away from the crowds downstairs. CBDB and I noticed there was a small bar up there, so we decided to sit on stools there and "prop up the bar". I noticed that the beer mats had pictures of the a beach on it, with the long wooden pilings out into the ocean that I had noticed in Edinburgh. So I mildly asked about it, to which CBDB responded, "Do you have some paper?"

Turns out that he had been a geography major at university, and so knew a LOT about this stuff. Hence, before I knew it, I had a complete diagram in my notebook explaining how beach and cliff erosion happens, and different methods for preventing it. With multiple methods labelled and everything. I think it made him feel very smart that I just happened to ask about something that he was an expert in. And I guess you sometimes need to flatter a man's ego that way, even though I would have been totally satisfied with the explanation that "they prevent erosion". And let's face it, I learned something!

Then it was time for the circle. I of course had been unable to resist telling the RAs about CBDB needing to buy shorts right before the run and leaving the tags in, although since I told the story with him right there, he had to know what was coming...

Indeed, CBDB got called into the circle, his shorts were ridiculed, and they made him take them off (leaving him standing there in his underwear!) and then stuffed the brand new shorts into a beer glass, which he had to drink out of. Oh poor boy, the shorts were undoubtedly ruined! But he took it all in good humour, and then everyone kept yelling out that he needed a hash name, and before he knew it, he was dragged back into the circle, beer was poured on his head, and he was christened, "Teabag". Too funny. Luckily he was still laughing at the end of it all, so you've got to praise a guy with a sense of humour, and who can do it all while standing there in his underpants!

Finally, after all of this, he got his jeans back on, I helped him pack up the sodden shorts in a plastic bag, and then he headed home. I figured this would finally be a chance to catch up with Matt, except he was leaving then too! Since I didn't think there was really anybody else around who I was keen to talk to, I left with Matt and Plank, and we all walked back to Oxford Circus together, talking about getting engaged and the tradition of buying engagement rings. Funny enough, it was much about the boys not wanting to buy them and thinking it was a waste of money, which quite frankly I agree with. Much better to spend the money on a down payment on a house, I think... When I declared this sentiment, Matt said to me, "You're already one of the most awesome girls I know, and you just keep getting more awesome." Such a sweet sentiment, and a great way to end the night!