This evening I was due to go to the Inter-Club Whiskey Tasting at the Caledonian Club, which I would never have gone to if I'd still have been on the painkillers (it scares me to think what the combination of codeine and whiskey would have done to me), but after yesterday's relief of getting my tooth drilled out, I was able to kick the painkillers and be clear-headed by the time I was due to head out in the evening.
As I walked to Hammersmith to catch the Tube (according to TFL, the fastest way to get there), I called Joel, and as usual got his voicemail. So I left him a message saying I was just checking to see if he was still alive, and kept walking.
Shortly afterwards, my phone buzzed, and I picked it up excitedly wondering if Joel was perhaps calling me back. However I was in for an even bigger surprise when it turned out to be CBDG! He was calling out of the blue to ask what I was up to, and to see if I might like to have dinner with him this evening. Now I know this is ever more indication that he just sees me as amusement and entertainment whilst he's in London, and not a serious romantic interest, but I still have to say that I like the attention he gives me. After all, even if only as a distraction, he still wants to see me, right?
Alas, I had to tell him that I was already on my way out somewhere else, so no dinner for us. Although he promised that he would see me again soon. At least before the Olympics, I was promised, which made me laugh.
I then arrived at the whiskey tasting and chatted to a few people, but before long was pulled into the main room for the tasting. I debated trying to really mix things up and sit with people I didn't know, but in the end settled for sitting near the end of the second table with a girl I know. I had an open spot next to me, and after the Young Scotsman gave his little speech welcoming everyone to the club, you could see him having a mental debate in his head, as he felt like he should sit at the first table and me ready to jump up and do the "I am the Chairman and this is my club and I'm a good host" thing. Except then there I was. Smiling and looking so attractive. I watched the dilemma play out across his face as he wrestled with his emotions, until finally he caved and came and sat next to me. Score!
I had a good time chatting with him as we went through all of the whiskies, although he was so nervous, it was hard to get him to relax and just enjoy the conversation. Whether it was because of me or because he was concerned about being a good host and having the event run smoothly, I couldn't be sure. (Hopefully the second, as I'd hate to think that he's nervous around me).
Gordon had texted us to tell us that he was running late, so we had the folks pouring measure out drams of all the whiskies for Gordon for when he arrived. And when he finally did, I talked him through all of them, trying to remember to the best of my ability as much detail about them as I could. I'm not sure if he was just humouring me as I tried to give him my best guided whiskey tasting, but I think he appreciated the effort. Although once again I was reminded of how much easier it is to talk to Gordon than almost anyone, as we spent quite some time just relaxing and chatting for a while, even as everyone else retired to the bar.
Finally, we retired to the bar as well, where I found myself talking to my friend Sarah's brother Adam, and a friend of his who looks like Justin Bieber (and also like Adam). He was obviously quite into me, and I had to admit I didn't think he was half-bad either, but he made the mistake of getting a bit too drunk, at which point I lost interest.
I had to assume that despite how I remained a bit under the weather, I was still looking reasonably attractive, for at one point when I had just entered into conversation with a new girl from the RAC, she surprised me by suddenly whispering in my ear, "I just have to tell you, I think you look absolutely gorgeous!" Now, I have to admit I probably hear this more often than the average person, but it was still a bit of a surprise, coming out of nowhere from a girl I didn't know at all. Perhaps she was just nervous about meeting so many new people and wanted to think of something nice to say, and then just blurted out the reaction that many people have to how I look!
Still, not like it was doing me any good, as the Young Scotsman was not paying attention to me, but rather just seemed to want to be a good host to the boys, drinking more whiskey and smoking. As the bar emptied out, I started to realise I was one of the last remaining girls, and decided it was time to beat a tactical retreat. Some nights, the boys are just going to be boys, and they're just not in the mindset to pay any attention to the girls. Time to go.
When I got home, a good friend of mine from my undergrad days had just sent me an e-mail moments before, and so I decided to pick up the phone and give her a call. We ended up chatting for two hours, which totally blew away my bedtime, but sometimes you just have to take advantage of the time zone differences to catch up when you can!
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