Completing the three-day event, tonight I was due to get together with some old friends from Magdalene for dinner. Originally the plan had been to hire a private dining room for the event, but I was so disorganised with trying to get everything together for the recent YM's events, that this just totally slipped. In the end, I gave up the private dining room and just said we'd have dinner with nine of us at the Round Table in the Coffee Room, so dining out in public, but I think that was the better idea overall.
In the afternoon The Blonde asked me if I would be out at the Lansdowne that evening, and finished the conversation so quickly when I said I wasn't, that I got the impression she'd been hoping I would be going so she could get an invite. At least when the Tall South African called me later to ask the same question, he seemed genuinely disappointed that I wouldn't see him this evening, and stayed on chatting with me for so long I found myself once again in danger of being late as I tried to head out for the evening.
When I arrived at the club, I found my timing was perfect, as everyone was just gathering in the bar for drinks. I had a glass of champagne with everyone, and then just after 8 PM, we headed into dinner.
I handed the wine list over to one of the men, and enjoyed the conversation with everyone. Lots of random chat with my old "college dad" (a guy who had been one year above me who had been assigned to "show me the ropes" at college) and his wife about their home renovations.
In-between the starter and the main course, I found myself in desperate need of a comfort break, and so got up while there was time. On my way out of the room, I ran into a German-American chap who I know through the club, who normally lives up in Cambridge, but who had mentioned to me that he might be around this evening. I greeted him warmly and we chatted for a little bit, but I was conscious of the fact that I'd left my table in the middle of dinner and had to get back to it.
When we got to the dessert course, we decided to rotate places around the table so that we'd all get a chance to talk with everyone else at the table, and not just those we'd sat next to at the start. I found myself seated with Helen, who is always a good riot. Yet I was surprised when she wanted to order two different things for dessert, but was too shy and embarrassed to do so herself, as she normally seems like such an outrageous and outgoing character. So she said to me, "Will you order it for me? Because you're so nice and nobody ever gets mad or says no to you." I thought it a thoroughly strange request, but did so, and of course the staff were happy to accommodate her.
While we were sitting there, the German-American came over to say that he and his friend were heading into the bar for after-dinner drinks, but he wanted to stop by to say hello. I chatted to him for a bit, introduced him to Helen and a few others sitting there, and then promised to see him in the bar afterwards, thinking nothing much more of it.
As soon as he left the table however, everyone sitting near me absolutely pounced on me. "Who was that?" It was the German-American, I explained, who I knew through the club. They all then laughed at how obvious it had been that he desired me. What?
Helen noted that he had kept his attention exclusively focused on me and had not bothered saying one word to her or even glancing at her until I introduced them sometime into the conversation (a lack which I had just taken for my own poor manners). The other girls at the table noted that he kept finding excuses to touch me, and had seemed truly distressed to finally have to leave me to the rest of my dessert. Quite frankly, I thought they were all just nuts...
We then retired to the bar for after-dinner drinks, and a few of our group peeled off, with a few of them making cracks at my expense about how it might be a late night for me. I still thought they were being ridiculous, until the German-American came over to say his good-byes, and that he was leaving. And suddenly I did notice that he kept his hand on my back for nearly the entire conversation, holding my hands in a lingering embrace, and talking for quite some extended length of time. I wonder, had I been missing something here this entire time? I really never would have thought for a moment that there was anything there until these friends pointed it out. Perhaps this is the reason I'm single, I'm just totally oblivious...
He went home though, and I stayed a bit longer with Sophie and her husband, before retiring to the front desk to settle the bill. They were having trouble with the card machine on my payment, but they told me not to worry about it, as I was sure to be back soon. True indeed, and so after saying my good-byes to Sophie and her husband, headed home before midnight for the first time in days!
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