Hangover Squash with Sophie

I was woken up by my phone ringing at 9 AM, alerting me to the fact that I had a raging hangover. I managed to grab the phone, and saw that it was the Tall South African. "Judging by the sound of your voice, I'm going to guess that I woke you up." Gee, you think? Particularly as he'd known I'd been out the night before, given that I had ill-advisedly texted the Tall South African at 2:30 AM (while insisting that it was NOT a drunken text). Argh.

Still, we had a nice little chat, where he pressed me for gossip from the evening before, but my head was still swimming so much, I could hardly remember anything. In fact the only thing I could really think to remark on, was that the story of Drunk Girl on New Year's Day had come up yet again, but once again the Tall South African's name had not been mentioned. "It's kind of fascinating", I told him, "As everybody knows the story but your name always stays out of it." To which he replied, "And I hope you KEEP my name out of it!" Well yes, I'm not stupid...aside from the one time I slipped up and told Will (which I'm hoping he forgot about), I do have a concern for my own reputation to be associated with his. Although I think at this point the only people who know about us are the Young Dutchman and Sophie (and even they don't know the depths of it), I'm still worried about what people might think if things were to come out.

I then went back to bed for a bit, before I got up when I heard my computer buzzing...it was the Young Dutchman! Who always insists on video calls, so I got to talk to him while sitting there wearing my glasses and bathrobe. Always a good look. And yet people don't believe the two of us have never slept together? Seriously, how that boy could ever find me attractive after some of the ways he's seen me...

Just when I was still enjoying having gotten to speak to two of my favourite boys in one morning, the phone rang, and it was Joel! So I get to talk to all of my favourite boys today! As usual, the conversation was far too brief and he told me that he is pretty much out-of-commission until March 15th, but still it was good to catch up with him, however briefly.

Then, with no time to spare really, it was time to get to the club to play squash with Sophie. I was surprised when we got to our court, as the downstairs was packed and there were two guys playing in the court, even though it was after 3 PM. I knocked and poked my head in to tell them it was time to finish up, and was shocked my the response, "Sorry, we're in a tournament" and then they just went back to their game. What on earth?

Still kind of stunned at the rudeness (the court was booked, how dare these guys refuse to give it up?) I went up to the front desk to ask what on earth was going on. Got a very timid front-desk manager to come back downstairs with me, who reminded these guys that although they were playing a tournament, that the deal was when a member had booked a court, they had to vacate. Finally, about 15 minutes into our allotted time, they got the guys out of the court (although at least since they had the court lights on for the tournament, we didn't end up having to pay for them at all).

So then we'd kicked these guys off their court, at which point then they went up to the balcony to watch us play. So mortifying, as we were obviously nowhere near as good! Between my nervousness about being watched, being rattled about the rude boys refusing to give up the court, and my raging hangover, I lost the first game. Came back to win all subsequent games, but it was an exceptionally poor showing from me.

We only got to play for 45 minutes, as the next guys were all too eager to take the court back at 4 PM (and we graciously gave it up like we were supposed to!), but I was feeling so wretched anyway that I didn't really mind stopping play.

We then went back and showered, where I heard about Sophie's date last night with the boy she'd been seeing... It was only their 3rd or 4th date (I think) and she hadn't been all that keen on him, thinking that he was nice and all but she wasn't that fussed about him. But apparently he'd cooked her dinner last night, and despite her original determination to take a cab home afterwards, she had ended up staying over. And then she said, "But he didn't even really try anything on, which I found almost weird!"

I can understand what she's saying, as you always want to be the one putting the brakes on the action, not the other way around. It almost makes you wonder if the guy desires you, even as he's trying to be a gentleman. She still seems unsure about this guy, for on the one hand she notes what a gent he is, but on the other says, "But he'll never be rich." It's not like he's a poet, as he does seem to have a fairly decent job, so I think Sophie needs to readjust her thought process on that one. I could have a little bit more sympathy for the fact that she doesn't seem all that interested or excited by him, but not the money factor.

After showers, we retired to the business suite to work on her speech for a small Burns Dinner that evening, where she was supposed to be doing the Response from the Lassies. Although I found it hard to believe, she claimed to be very nervous about public speaking and didn't like doing it, which for someone as social as Sophie seemed to be a far-fetched claim. At least until I asked her to run through her speech for me and tell a few of the jokes she was planning to tell...which she forgot the punchlines to! Oh dear...normally I wouldn't recommend someone write out their entire speech, but it was quickly becoming apparent that Sophie was NOT an adept off-the-cuff speaker. Given how much I enjoy public speaking, I almost wished I could give the speech instead of her, but alas, I guess not everyone has my ease in front of the crowds. Still, in the end we put together something that I hope was passable, and I sent her on her way with that one thing sorted.

Finally then we left the club, I went home, and crashed into bed for an early bedtime!