This evening was the Inter-Club Wine Tasting being held at the Carlton Club. I debated whether I should even go, as I'd originally bought two tickets with the intention of inviting the Tall South African. But something at the last-minute made me give one of the tickets back without inviting him. Then, when my dentist put me on antibiotics that meant I couldn't drink, I wondered if I should give my own ticket back. Yet, my friend Caroline persuaded me to delay starting my course of antibiotics for a few days, so I would have one last hurrah before going dry for a week. (Kind of ridiculous that a week without drinking causes such trauma in my life, eh?)
So I arrived and was immediately drawn into kissing loads of people, just every time I turned around there was another O&C member or somebody else I knew. Tristan had earlier in the evening been trying to get a spare ticket for his new girlfriend, and luckily did manage to score one as well. JG was there too, and I was pleased to see him, but barely got a chance to talk to him because of the constant need to say hello to people.
They had us all standing around, trying three white wines and then three red wines, which meant everyone ended up drinking quite a bit of wine. I mostly stood around chatting with Caroline and Navy Boy, but still was continually pulled around to say hello to more people.
I can't even remember who I was talking to, when suddenly I spotted this guy across the room. He was incredibly tall, and something about him just struck me. I can't even quite say what, as although he was reasonably good-looking, probably objectively not any more so than any other guy, but I just remember being absolutely possessed by the thought, "I have to meet this guy." I can't even explain it. Maybe it was just that he was incredibly tall like the Tall South African? Maybe it was that I was tired of seeing familiar faces and wanted to meet someone new? I'm not even sure quite why, but I all of a sudden couldn't wait to ditch the conversation I was in, everything suddenly seemed dull in comparison to meeting this guy. It's funny, because "attraction" is also how you describe the pull magnets have towards one another, and that's exactly what I felt in this circumstance: An absolutely magnetic pull towards this guy.
I can't even quite remember how I spotted an opening, but I got away from my existing conversation, luckily caught the guy in a rare moment by himself, and quickly worked my way into conversation. (The beauties of being naturally outgoing and social, starting conversations with strangers is easy). The guy just seemed more startled than anything else, polite to me but I think a bit overwhelmed with how all of a sudden I'd decided to be his friend. Yet, he seemed entertained enough by me to stay happily in conversation long enough for the photographer to snap some photos of us, and stick with me for a little while.
The evening progressed on, and I talked to more people, until we ended up back in the club bar. I lost the Magnetic Man for a bit (damn there are downsides to being popular!), but at last towards the end of the evening, found the Magnetic Man sitting at a table with two of his friends, which I were later to learn are a trio fondly referred to as the "Oxford Mafia", as they do everything together.
It turned out they all knew my friend Doro and we had quite a few acquaintances in common, although I'd never met them before. On of the three, a guy named Alistair who is married to an American woman, proclaimed me to be "absolutely delightful." The second, who was in a long-term relationship, also seemed quite taken with me. Yet Magnetic Man, whose company I most enjoyed, seemed the most stand-offish, as though he wasn't quite sure what to make of me. It was the strangest thing, as his two friends were all over me, just declaring that I was one of the greatest people they've ever met, and the guy I actually like was acting perfectly pleasant towards me, but like he just wasn't particularly fussed. How on earth is it that once I finally like a guy, he doesn't seem to like me back?
I mean, it worked out well that the one bachelor of the group turned out to be the one I liked the most (just found him to be nice and interesting, as well as tall and rather good-looking), although I would definitely say his reaction to me was more "bemused." After all, I'm pretty outgoing and social (so typically American!), which more reserved Brits either think is fantastic or overwhelming. Hence why I think Alistair liked me a lot (as he obviously already likes crazy outgoing Americans, being married to one!), whereas Magnetic Man might have been reserving judgement... Oh well. Not that he didn't like me (everyone likes me!), but there's a difference between enjoying the company of the hyper-social American and really thinking it suits your particular personality in terms of attraction. So strange though, as it really threw me for a loop to not have a boy immediately desperately like me. Huh.
Yet, we had a great time, chatting and laughing late into the night, and I even managed to persuade my friend Justin to sit with us and share his wine. (I didn't pay for a drink all evening, it should be noted, as I just seem to have that way about me, that boys will do whatever I tell them generally). Finally at 1 AM, we all needed to go home, so I shared a cab home with Rob (the one with the long-term girlfriend), as he lived near me in Notting Hill. He didn't seem to like me paying for half the cab, but I hopped out before he could protest too much.
Walked home and called my brother, who I ended up chatting to until 2:30 AM, which I think is always a good way to end an evening. Luckily the "Oxford Mafia" are all members of the O&C and claim they are there frequently, so I hope to see them there again soon...
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