Sloane Square Run

I had an absolutely nutty gym session in the morning, where after doing my own routine for about 45 minutes, decided to join in on a strength and fitness class that was just starting.  I mean, it was just another 45 minutes, how bad could it be?  I nearly died about 45 minutes later, realising it could be very bad indeed!

So I was quite tired by the evening's run, but I'd promised Roofie's Brother I would be there, so of course I had to go.

Roofie's Brother arrived right as we were about to set off on the run, after telling me that he was going to be running late, so I greeted him quite enthusiastically.  He kept pace with me as we ran for a while, but damn, I'm just too slow!  He was doing fine while he was managing trades for his office while we ran, but after a while he assured me, "I'll catch you up in a bit" and then took off.  Due to a shortcut, I ran into him again soon after, at which point he said, "See, I promised you I would catch you up!"  So sweet.

I developed a blister on my foot near the end of the run, so I was quite glad when the pub turned out to be close by.  I got back, and Roofie's Brother got me a drink (after I paid his subs for the night, since he didn't have any cash on him!), although he was quite distracted by having to handle trades for his job.  Plus, there's always that weird awkwardness thing...  And so it was strange, because he was so keen to be near me, but yet unable to really talk because he had to focus on his phone until the markets closed at 9 PM.  And so he just kept standing so close, often touching me, just hands brushing, and being far too near me than the crowded bar truly demanded, but yet not being able to focus on me or talk to me.  It was strange, yet also strangely comforting.

I did have his attention however when Matt and Devo and Cookie (normally some of my favourite people) started demanding stories of my Valentine's Day disaster of a group date.  And so here I am, talking about how I was out with another guy, yet trying to emphasise that I'd had no interest in the guy on offer, that I'm single, except jeez, it makes me sound like such a flake, going out on all of these dates with nice enough guys I have no interest in.  Makes me sound so shallow.

At least I hope I gave the crowd a good laugh when they asked why I hadn't gone for the boy on my date, and I replied, "Well, I always judge all men by the standard of [Roofie's Brother], and he just wasn't nearly as good-looking as [Roofie's Brother]."  That made everyone giggle and had Matt saying, "Gosh she's smooth..." so of course I had to throw in, "Originally I'd said I wouldn't go out with anyone who wasn't as handsome as Matt, but that was too impossibly high a standard for any man to meet!"  Cookie then laughed, "No wonder she has so many dates if she's so flattering to all men!"

Yet of course, I was once again realising, "Guys I like probably have no idea I'm interested in them, do they?"

Roofie's Brother then got pulled away by his female friend, Sister Fister, to go have dinner, and so I didn't really get to talk to him much after that, as they were off in a corner eating.  I chatted to others, and was having a fine time, when finally Roofie's Brother said he was going to get going.  I then would have gone too, except Sweetheart suddenly realised that he'd put his phone and his keys in the RA's bag, and she was now gone!

Now, as Sweetheart's closest neighbour (and let's face it, a good friend), I just couldn't leave him there. So I panelled everyone for numbers to see who had the RA's number (and her boyfriend's), called them, texted them, and promised Sweetheart that I would stay with him until it all got sorted out, or he could come home with me.

So I was staying.  And Roofie's Brother was going.  As is now our custom, he leaned in and kissed me on the lips to say good-bye.  Except then there was a pause where everyone was talking and confused as to quite who was leaving.  Once that was sorted out and he was honestly leaving again, he grabbed my hand and pulled me back in for one more kiss, a second time.  So sweet, it just made me smile ridiculously.

Nobody really seems to comment when we do this, although I noticed that his female friend pulled me in for a big hug.  I think she gets it perhaps, and to my relief, seems to give me her approval.  We'll see what happens next though...

At this point however, we were still on the case of the missing house keys.  And I was starting to think, "Good lord, what will I actually do with Sweetheart if I have to take him home?"  So Sweetheart got me a beer which I shared with Devo, and I stood around with Devo and Cookie, chatting about the Medoc marathon that we are planning to run in September.

Luckily, I then got a call from the girl who had Sweetheart's keys, we arranged for them to meet up in London Bridge so he could get them back, and we also discovered after a few more phone calls that it's a bad idea to suggest meeting at "the Starbucks in London Bridge station", as there are two of them on opposite sides of the station.  Jeez, there are really Starbucks everywhere!

At last though, Sweetheart got home to his own home safely, I got home to mine (much later than I'd originally intended), and everyone had a good, if exhausting, night!