You're a Gregarious Bastard, Charlie Brown.

[mangosteen]

[Ed. Note.: I don't believe in backdating. Written this past Thursday, posted now.]

So, I get on a train from London, up to Cambridge, strike up a combination with a fellow sitting across from me who is an Urdu interpreter at the Oakington Barracks, and talk with him about language, religion, and other things. Then, a few minutes before getting off the train, a woman my age starts asking me about things to do in Cambridge, and we briefly discussed how weather shapes attitude in the Pacific Northwest.

So far, nothing unusual.

Then, as we get off the train, the following exchange happens:

Her: "Nice talking with you, perhaps we'll pass each other on the street in London at some point."

Me: "Well, you know, we can increase the chances of that happening."

Her: "How do you figure?"

Me: "You have a piece of paper? Here's my UK mobile number. I'm gathering people for lunch when I'm down in London in a couple of days. You should come along if you'll be in the area."

Her: "Okay, cool. That could be fun. I'll give you a call tomorrow."

Even if she never calls, I managed to get up the confidence to have a conversation with a woman I had never met before, invite her along to a gathering of people, hand her mynumber, and be completely at ease about doing so. I'm sure that a lot of it is "I'm married, there's nothing 'at stake', and I'm a rather outgoing guy.", but it still reflects confidence that I don't think I've ever had.

How the fuck did that happen?

Comments

[woodwardiocom.livejournal.com]

How the fuck did that happen?

-I have so totally been there.

[lillibet.livejournal.com]

a combination?

I know what you mean--I went through a similar change in the way I socialized with men following my marriage.

Glad you're having fun!

[abilouise.livejournal.com]

I swear that you did that to me back in 1998

[cos]

This story I would like to hear... I thought you had met through something at least slightly resembling a social connection, rather than as complete strangers.

[vatine]

How the fuck did that happen?

When you weren't looking.

[xthread.livejournal.com]

I saw a van today which had blazoned all over it the words 'Mangosteen Juice.'
I contend that it was your fault.

[sauergeek.livejournal.com]

I really really do not want to know if the contents of the van were in fact squeezed mangosteen.

[jss]

I will not touch this line.

[mangosteen]

In Mother Russia, the LINE TOUCHES YOU!

[jss]

Nor will I touch this line.

[meirion.livejournal.com]

nah, more likely my gullible mormon uncle's, who's actually been trying to peddle the stuff (and even tried to set my father up as sole UK distributor) as an alzheimer's cure. despite my irritation with my uncle and his pyramid schemes, a hint of a smile has been known to cross my lips when the stuff has been mentioned. a pity it tastes so disagreeable :-(

-m-

[ottah.livejournal.com]

Rar for you!

[mangosteen]

Rar, indeed. :)

See you at The Calling.

[missionista.livejournal.com]

Perhaps there was also an element of "I'm on vacation. This is a time out from normal life. I can do things I would never otherwise do."

[mangosteen]

That's likely part of it. Similarly "I'm among people who don't know me, and I'll never see again." It's the dance-floor paradox, writ large.

Speaking of dance floors... well, more about that later. :)

here's looking at you, kid

[catling.livejournal.com]

Yay! Go Mangosteen. That confidence is a beautiful thing to have, and to see. :)

[wolfkitn.livejournal.com]

how very interesting! my vague multi-year memory of you has you in the cubby of "outoing, confident (as well as bubbly, slightly wacky, cute, huggable) guy." but maybe that's just me?

in any event, i know that a person's internal feelings and the image they project are often vastly different -- and this is my best guess as to what has happened: your internal perception of you-ness may have caught up to your projected you-ness.

in any event, congrats! enjoy! *hugs*! (wish i were in london!)

oh, and how was lunch?

[mangosteen]

Lunch was without said woman, but with a bunch of other London denizens. There's an all-you-can-eat conveyor-belt sushi place near Leicester Square, called "Gili Gulu". £13.95 for not-entirely-bad sushi. That, and the company was fun. More later.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

*waves*
We met briefly at the Calling last night, just popping by.