Close Encounters

So, today I went shopping again with very good intentions of spending money on other people and getting in a few Christmas pressies. I could not resist going into Faith and trying on some boots. They were £30 off, come on! But the colour I wanted were still full price. So I left them. But I can't promise I won't return.

On the way to look at something for my dad, I asked the Boyf, my very unwilling shopping buddy for the day, if he minded if we popped into River Island. I knew what I was looking for, so I walked straight through the shop to the back wall and straight to the end of the jewellery section, the Boyf trailing stoically behind me. I heard a voice say "Hello." It took a moment to register with me and then I heard it again. I turned. It was Himself, wearing his new leather jacket. "200 quid for that?!" I said, rather undiplomatically. He laughed. I introduced him to the Boyf. They shook hands right in front of my face. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. In that moment, I felt like the lowest of the low. I thought: this is not my life.

We stumbled over a couple more niceties and then his friend came out of the changing rooms and we bid each other farewell. (He didn't introduce me to his - female - friend.) I was giggling because I was nervous. I covered my mouth with my scarf and pretended to be really preoccupied with looking at purses. Boyf commented that Himself's hand was really sweaty.

I picked up a heart pendant and said I just wanted to look at a handbag downstairs. I picked up a red sequinned purse and tried to open it and the clasp fell off onto the floor. I laughed and picked it up and noticed Himself again. I pretended not to see him, and headed straight for the tills. On the way out, I kept my eyes to the floor, but I knew he was still there. Boyf later told me he'd been standing by the counter, striking a pose. He said he just stared at him.

The weird thing is, Boyf took an instant dislike to him. He described him as "an arrogant arsehole" who "looked gay" and "loved himself." Once we were home, in discussion with MJ, he told him that he was "weird looking with a bigger fod than Ant & Dec put together" and ridiculed him for spending £200 on a coat. MJ pointed out that Boyf had spent more than that on his North Face coat. "Yeah," Boyf said, "but that's useful, I could wear that in the Antarctic. I'd like to see him in the Antarctic!" He also said he made sure he gave him a very firm handshake and squeezed his hand really hard.

Jesus!

Before we came home Boyf and I went for something to eat. But I couldn't relax because my heart was racing after the encounter and I was trying desperately to talk about normal things. Boyf kept asking what I was thinking about and teased me that I was thinking about Himself and reckoned I fancied him. I replied with a very unconvincing "Shut up." I sent Himself a text saying: shit sorry, I think I blacked out for a second there. He replied: It's ok. You didn't act at all strange. I saw you as soon as you walked in and it was as though you just walked right through the shop and stood next to me. I was chuckling. As Guillermo said, chuckling so much his hands were sweating!

That was just the weirdest thing ever. It really was like it was meant to happen.

Oh, and then he sent me a picture of him in his Calvins. As you do.