(Posted a week later!!)
Today, four years ago, at around this time actually, I went to a church in a small town in the East of Holland. As I sat there, all the regulars continued filing in until one guy that I had never seen strolled in. He surveyed the room and caught my eye, lingered for a second as something passed between us, and then he walked over to a free seat about two rows in front of me. As the service proceeded, he kept throwing glances over his shoulder, and I continued to toss my fake extensions over my shoulder (being one of those bad hair days, I had borrowed a wig that looked like braided hair from my room mate – and even if I say so myself, I looked quite fetching with it on!!)
Anyway, at the end of service, we usually had a cup of tea and a chat, so here I was in the line talking to some person, when he comes up and starts talking to the person I was talking to, then turns to me and introduces himself and asks me where I was from. When I tell him I’m Ugandan he gets really excited and tells me he spent 3 months in Kibale (a remote village in the West), and that that was one of the most enjoyable periods in his life. From there on he joins the line and we continue talking, then he invites me to join a group of his friends, and he continues to give me these penetrating looks…
Anyway, later he asks me to join them going to check out a book fair about half an hour’s cycling away, but I told him my bicycle was not in condition to ride that far so he offers to give me a ride there… Which I agree to and off we go (I remember wondering at his keenness for me to join them but I was not exactly put off by it). Later we all go back to his place for lunch, and then he invites me for a bible study the following week. At the bible study he is really attentive, and puts some food aside for me because I am kind of late, then sits next to me, shares his bible, stands really close to me and asks me a hundred questions, generally..
Anyway, fours years ago I met a young Dutchman, and I have really missed him in the last few weeks!! We had to break up earlier this year coz neither of us was willing to carry on a long distance relationship and although he wanted to remain friends, I preferred to break all ties… He tried to contact me a few times, and I responded but the last sms he sent I didn’t reply so I guess he got the hint. However, today, I really feel like I would like to get in touch. Unfortunately I erased all his email addresses and phone numbers so… I am conducting an internet search – will see what that brings up. I don’t feel strong enough not to get in touch, truly!! And I know I will probably beat myself up over this later BUT, I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it!
(30 Minutes later)
I have to laugh!! I actually found a website for the guy and sent him a message, and then suddenly this pain that I have had in my leg all night disappeared! I really wondered where the pain came from, I went running yesterday but running never gives me such pain – I now realise of course that it is my usual psychosomatic stunts – since yesterday I have been wondering whether or not to get in touch with this guy, and I had just decided to sweep it under the carpet, but evidently my mind was not fooled!
Anyway, that is that... Back to work! (By the way, the proposal is suddenly coming along so well, I am soooo pleased!)
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2 comments:
Did he reply? Did you say it's four years since you met him or since you last saw him? I am so interested in this story - please let me know what happened when you contacted him again. (Sorry if I sound nosey, but I was really gripped by your internal narrative!) Is this a Happy Ever After? Or is it a true story? (Yes, I'm a bit of an old cynic).
:-) First let me say how terribly flattered I am that a PUBLISHED author is 'gripped' by my internal
narrative - there is hope for me yet!! :-)
As for this story, it is completely true; if I could make it up, then I would be on my way to being
published as well :-) To clear up the four year thing, we met four years ago, but it's been maybe four
months now since I last saw him - if you go back to the posts of May and June, he features quite a bit
because that was the height all the craziness (well, the height was last September but that is another story!)
Anyway, he has since not responded but this is so unlike him that I can only assume he hasn't gotten
the message - he was doing an internship in Ghana when he sent the sms that I didn't reply and who
knows how often he checks out this website - it is after all from the PhD study that he abandoned early
last year to pursue his dream of studying medicine.. (OR: he has belatedly decided to grant me my
wish and keep out of touch)
... and in my less sane moments, I hope this is a happy ever after even as I can't see how it could ever
be, fellow cynic that I am!!
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