Several weeks after moving into my flat some mail for people who don’t live here was still arriving. Knowing that postman wasn’t likely to take them back and also seeing that there was a postcard from Japan and a letter to someone else that contained a card, I decided to try to track these people down and forward their mail, just as a way of earning some good karma. As a permanent renter I certainly would like someone to do that for me so I logged on to Facebook and found one match so I wrote a brief message asking if they ever lived here and I’d forward the card. Sadly I couldn’t get the Japanese person down though.
A few days later I got a reply saying they’re on another street, almost the same name, same flat number and upon realising it’s on the way to my work I said “no worries, I’ll post it on my way home”. Later I got a message of thanks saying “gracias” and that was the point I realised the person was from Spain despite having a weird-sounding name (later I discovered it was because she was Basque). I replied in Spanish essentially saying “no bother” and that I’d lived in Madrid. A reply asked “I’m curious, where are you from?” and from that began a brief exchange of messages every few days for a about two weeks. We decided to meet for a drink at our local pub, “The Hill” which conveniently is about half way between our flats.
We instantly connected and the night passed quickly as the beer and conversation easily flowed. When it was time to leave I invited her for Spanish omelette the following evening, a Saturday, after she got back from work.
A day later we had a good dinner, the wine flowed, we vibed and it felt good to have made a new friend and in return I was invited for dinner later that week at hers. Again we had a Spanish, she cooked a lovely meal and I had some delicious Spanish ham (jamon) from the region that her family was from and that mother had sent. I told her that by coincidence on of my good Spanish friends is from Pamplona, the capital of region Navarra and not far from her home village Uharte Arakil.
A few more dinner exchanges, we watched a Spanish movie on FilmFour one of the nights and things were going pretty cool with this new friendship.
Almost a month had passed since we met and I was invited by her for dinner on my birthday after saying that I had made no plans. I had turned 34, my colleagues at work bought me a surprise cake (two in fact, with candles too!), there was an election taking place in the UK and I just felt something was about to change, that I was at some pivotal moment in my life.
Once more the food was delicious, we clicked and yakked away usual and before we noticed like several times we’d met before we were into the early hours. Upon this realisation I got up and began to make my excuses as I had work to go to the following morning. As I put on my coat I thanked her for her thoughtful present, a couple of books – Winter in Madrid, and The Age Of Absurdity – which were seemingly telepathic choices.
I had it in my mind that tonight we would either continue as friends and any lingering tension, anticipation, joy and excitement of meeting someone attractive and of the opposite sex would dissipate, or I could actually do something about it. So just as I was leaving I turned, looked into her eyes and said “well do I get my birthday kiss now?” The walls that stood between us suddenly collapsed and a minute or two later off I went home having experienced a great moment and a truly memorable day.
We’ve been continuing our cooking exchange, had dinner a few more times and things are going quite well. I’m not sure exactly where it’s going but happy to enjoy the moment and be in a new relationship.
What a lovely story – you couldn’t make it up! Glad that things are going so well :)