Yesterday I had lunch with an old friend. A friend from my teenagehood who I've not seen for over 30 years.
It all started when I saw a photo of him on facebook, tagged by a mutual friend.
I wrote: Hi, long time.
He replied: Hi, good timing. I'll be in Jerusalem for work next week, let's meet for coffee.
He asked me to go out with him once, when we were 15. I was too... something... to say yes.
We arranged to meet at a cafe near me at lunchtime.
The night before I'd gone to bed far too late and was woken far too early by DD. I looked tired. I'd eaten far too much over the weekend and looked full-faced. I'd spent ages making my hair sleek for the weekend but by yesterday morning it looked flat and aging. In short, I was looking and feeling bleh.
I took DD to kindergarten and came home to start work. Loads of work to do. And shopping (nothing in the fridge) and housework. I looked in the mirror. Still bleh. I drank lots of lemon water and then went back to bed and slept.
When I got up I looked rested, felt better, liked my sleek hair again, and was ready to face the late 1970s. I'd wasted the morning entirely but everything has its price.
I arrived first. He was 10 minutes late. Of course he emailed my smartphone that he was running late but I haven't bought it yet so I didn't get the message. I had stupidly left his phone number at home on my computer. I thought maybe he wasn't going to show up. I was almost relieved, I was way over-thinking this coffee.
He arrived. It was lunchtime so we ordered salads. He lives not in Israel. He's in the midst of a divorce. Why didn't I say I'd go out with him when we were 15?
He's already living with someone else. Back to my salad.
We caught up with each other's lives, our families, our friends. I felt like a teenager again except with 50 year old hindsight - a very pleasant state of mind. Two hours flew by and I had to go collect DD. He paid.
We said: We must do this again and meanwhile, see you on facebook. I turned to go but we both turned back to say: It's much nicer meeting face to face than on facebook.
It all started when I saw a photo of him on facebook, tagged by a mutual friend.
I wrote: Hi, long time.
He replied: Hi, good timing. I'll be in Jerusalem for work next week, let's meet for coffee.
He asked me to go out with him once, when we were 15. I was too... something... to say yes.
We arranged to meet at a cafe near me at lunchtime.
The night before I'd gone to bed far too late and was woken far too early by DD. I looked tired. I'd eaten far too much over the weekend and looked full-faced. I'd spent ages making my hair sleek for the weekend but by yesterday morning it looked flat and aging. In short, I was looking and feeling bleh.
I took DD to kindergarten and came home to start work. Loads of work to do. And shopping (nothing in the fridge) and housework. I looked in the mirror. Still bleh. I drank lots of lemon water and then went back to bed and slept.
When I got up I looked rested, felt better, liked my sleek hair again, and was ready to face the late 1970s. I'd wasted the morning entirely but everything has its price.
I arrived first. He was 10 minutes late. Of course he emailed my smartphone that he was running late but I haven't bought it yet so I didn't get the message. I had stupidly left his phone number at home on my computer. I thought maybe he wasn't going to show up. I was almost relieved, I was way over-thinking this coffee.
He arrived. It was lunchtime so we ordered salads. He lives not in Israel. He's in the midst of a divorce. Why didn't I say I'd go out with him when we were 15?
He's already living with someone else. Back to my salad.
We caught up with each other's lives, our families, our friends. I felt like a teenager again except with 50 year old hindsight - a very pleasant state of mind. Two hours flew by and I had to go collect DD. He paid.
We said: We must do this again and meanwhile, see you on facebook. I turned to go but we both turned back to say: It's much nicer meeting face to face than on facebook.
This reads like the first chapter of a novel :) I've often wondered how it would be if I met again some of the boys I liked in my teens :) It sounds as though your meeting went really well anyway xx
ReplyDeleteLOL - I've got friends on fb all pestering me to know who it was. Maybe I'd better write the novel.
DeleteOh that was a lovely story Rachel! I'm really hoping something more comes from it.. fingers crossed and all that. WOuldn't that be lovely! I met my Englishman when I was completely OFF men and wearing an extremely unflattering anorak and money belt. So you never know...
ReplyDeleteLOL, this isn't one of those stories. A renewed friendship possibly is all. This was just lunch and a bit too much nostalgia on my part. No sequel.
DeleteI loved this post! I especially liked the 'back to my salad' line - made me chuckle x
ReplyDeleteThanks Plum - my favourite line too (from a writer's point of view).
DeleteRenewing friendships is equally nice. It's fun to go back down memory lane with someone who shares the same memories with you. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post, and story, funny how things turn out. So glad you ended up having a good catch up though and after over 30 years! That must have been quite strange to begin with... By the way, In just loved this line...'He's already living with someone else. Back to my salad.' That really made me laugh. I love a dry sense of humour. X.
ReplyDeleteThanks OM, as I said above - that's my favourite line too. :)
Delete