Impromptu outings are often the best aren’t they? I had one of those yesterday and I woke this morning feeling like I have had a brief holiday after spending the afternoon in a corporate suite at the races with some old friends from out of town.
It was a spring day alright but the chill in the air that had me dragging my fur coat out disappeared as soon as I walked into that room. There is something hugely comforting about being around people you have known for some time and who have walked various parts of life’s journey with you. People who know your back story, they have seen you at your best and worst and you can just be you for a while around them - no effort required.
I had gone on my own – I have been going to things on my own for most of my adult life and that’s my norm to be truthful. I am comfortable in my own skin and am extroverted enough to strike up a conversation with a stranger if I feel the need to chat so it was an afternoon of indulgence for me to be surround by people who just wanted me to be me.
However, I think its built deep into our physce that its impossible to be alone and completely and utterly happy and so I wasn’t surprised that two beautiful young women in the room in their late 20’s saw an opportunity to use their matchmaking skills. I admire tenacity and persistence and I have to hand it to these two for their creativity and determined efforts. You see I have tried every method know to man to meet someone who might be worthy of my company, and long before I had that 78th date knew that there was no real substitute for me meeting someone in person and deciding if they were ok or not. Funnily enough , when I was presented with the opportunity to put my money where my mouth is, I had no dam intention of going to the suite next door to meet prospect no 79!
In a technology world, these girls knew how to work it though. After dismissing their pleas to engage in an introduction, they left the room only to return soon after with a 60 second interview they had recorded with the potential for my viewing pleasure. Thrust under my nose, I had no alternative other than to watch the footage whilst thinking to myself “I don’t fecking believe this, he must be desperate to do that!” It only strengthened my resolve not to participate any further in the exercise and so twenty minutes later when team persistence dragged him into the room to introduce himself to me, I felt like a deer stuck in the headlights.
My wit and charm disappeared immediately and I felt incredibly vulnerable and on display as the room quieted to hear the exchange between us and watch the interaction. I am not often lost for words but was in that instance. Luckily, he was pretty brazen and continued the conversation despite the ribbing he was getting from my friends. We chatted for a bit before moving into a quieter corner and I realised how out of practice at this game I am. To be fair I am not sure its something I have the slightest interest in getting better at, but we did agree that maybe sometime on another day we might meet again. I never gave him my phone number or contact details but did give permission for it to be obtained by whatever means deemed necessary should he feel the need to make contact again.
Life can be so terribly entertaining and I love the adventures and unknown elements that come with things that are not planned wherever in the world you are. I always say its never where you are, always who you are with and to my old friends that put out that impromptu call to join them yesterday for an afternoon of fun and frivolity – thank you. To the one who was so brazen, thank you also as I have been off the horse for a long time and let’s just say it was a pleasant trot in the afternoon sun.
