BT Live in Hyde Park

In Hyde Park with the Tall South African

In the morning we got up and went to Harrods to meet some friends of the Tall South African for lunch.  Although mostly we just spent a lot of time walking and talking, discussing his exceedingly dysfunctional relationship (if you can even call it that), our own relationship, and my relationship with the Young Dutchman.  It really comes down to communication, for I was noting that even when the Young Dutchman and I argue, we pretty clearly explain to each other why we're mad, and it's all over quite quickly.  We don't hold grudges for long, and forgive each other readily.  Even with the Tall South African, I had to point out, we were pretty honest about the fact that we're still attracted to each other, but we've made a conscious decision to take our relationship in a different direction, even if it often means resisting temptation.

I don't know, I just couldn't seem to make him see that a relationship without honest and open communication isn't a relationship at all.  But then again, he's young, and I guess there are some things you can only learn for yourself.

We got to Harrods, met these girls (all former lovers, I discovered later, as though that wasn't completely obvious just by observing the air of quiet desperation they had around him), nice enough girls if totally air-headed.  Which I guess explains why they were all good enough for a fling, but not enough worth keeping in touch with (he hadn't seen most all of then for 5-6 months).  And then there's me, who he calls every day...

We listened to them natter on about the other girls they worked with and their crazy nights out, and I found myself asking more questions and telling more stories in an effort to be entertaining and engaging.  It was like he didn't even want to be there.  Which I later discovered, he didn't...he checks up on these girls out of some sense of social obligation, not because he really likes them.  I just don't get that...going to the effort of staying in touch with people you don't like.

We walked around Hyde Park for a bit, before we then went into the BT Live area.  Upon entering, I remembered how uncomfortable it had been to sit there during the Opening Ceremony, on all those wood chips, and wondered why I hadn't remembered to bring a picnic blanket.  Oh well, coulda, shoulda, woulda...

Cookie called, so I told her where we were and she came to join us, and then we went and found the others at the front of the 2nd screen.  I almost shrieked with delight when I saw that Matt was there, and so immediately sat next to him to chat and catch up.  I love how that is with Matt, as he's always as excited to see me as I am him.  It's just fabulous when you have great friends like that.

With Matt, my favourite person

I left the Tall South African to chat to others, introducing him to Caroline, who I was sure, being tall, blonde, and gorgeous, he would take to.  Perhaps I was doing it for my own amusement, but after all of our discussions earlier about his dysfunctional relationship and yet his insistence that there was nobody else, I kind of wanted to point out to him that there were other options out there.  Plus, I just knew that Caroline would entertain him.

I then mostly spent my time talking to Matt about finances in relationships, particularly when one of you earns a lot more than the other, and how that was affecting his relationship with his girlfriend.  He had a good point, and I'd never really thought about what it would be like to be in a relationship where the guy earned a lot less than I did, and was in a career field where he never would earn a lot.  How would you navigate that?

As well, Matt kept pestering me as to why I'm still single, saying, "But you're such a catch!"  Goodness Matt, if only I knew...

It was also interesting when Cookie was joined by her boss, the guy she's having an affair with.  And I guess, having known her incredibly fit fiancee, I sort of assumed that any guy she would leave him for, and risk and affair with, would be amazing.  So you can kind of imagine my shock when this guy seemed rather short and balding.   And maybe he was nervous, but not that funny either.  Really?  I almost instantly wanted to take her aside and say, "Run, as fast as you can!" but how can I?

We mostly though had one of those perfect afternoons, sitting out in the sunshine, drinking beer, and screaming like crazy as Victoria Pendleton won gold.  Being there, cheering with Team GB and the whole crowd was just amazing.

Me, Matt, Cookie and Caroline

Finally, towards the end of the evening, we'd had enough of watching at the screen we were at, and started walking with the group to join some folks at another screen.  At which point, almost out of nowhere, as we walked along, the Tall South African managed to nearly make me slap him with just about the rudest thing anybody has ever said to me.  (It doesn't bear repeating, but could really be taken as an aspersion on my looks).  Really just a truly awful, insulting thing to say, and particularly strange after the good time we'd been having.

So at that point, pretty furious, I just abandoned him.  He had his own keys, he could figure out his own way home.  I was absolutely livid at him.  Later on, when I told him what he'd said, he was absolutely dumbfounded, claimed to have no memory of it at all, swore he never would have said anything like that, but understood my fury at him if he had.  He was then quite upset, as he'd had a few more beers than I'd had, but figured it was nothing too bad, but was realising that there were entire parts of the evening that were just blank, he had no recollection of them at all, it was a total black-out.  So strange, as he'd seemed rather fine, and how strange that he would say something so awful when he was blacked out.

Anyway, furious at him for this random comment, I left him to figure his own way home, and when I saw a group leaving, went and joined them.  I found myself arm-in-arm with the Ginger Lawyer Guy, who I know is attracted to me but I never really feel like doing much about it.  We got totally lost looking for this pub, and took a nice little walk around London, where I did worry for a bit that he would abandon plans to find the group and just want to take me for a drink at the Dorchester.  Eventually we did find the pub where everyone else was at however, and joined the group for drinks.

I found myself talking to Lex and Kim, two runners who are dating who I like.  Stayed talking with them until quite late, until the Tall South African (who had somehow managed to find the pub) came and joined me.  I was puzzled as to why he was so friendly to me again, seeming totally unaware that I was absolutely seething at him (but later, once we realised he didn't remember any of it, at least that bit was explained).

Finally, we made our way home, where I realised he was completely off his face, and so made dinner for the two of us when we got in (along with a lot of water).  I got a text from Caroline, asking about how she'd done on the flirting with the Tall South African, and upon realising that we'd totally set him up, got quite annoyed with me.  I then told him he had no right to be angry with me after what he'd said, we hashed out what had happened, and he apologised profusely for being an arse.  At least he knew it, thank goodness...

The evening ended with us getting ready for bed, which somehow involved both of us stripping down to our underwear and then just sitting there, talking for ages.  I guess that's what they mean when they talk about having "nakedly honest conversations."  Ugh, who can explain it?  We were a bit tipsy...

Finally off to bed, after a very weird and wonderful day!