the meeting

THE MEETING

The train station was heaving with people going about their usual evening routines. She felt rather silly standing alone under the clock tower waiting for her knight in shining armour to arrive. What ever was she thinking answering that stupid advert?

INTELLIGENT LADY

WANTED

FOR FRIENDSHIP

OWN HOUSE/CAR

NOT A PROBLEM

35/40 YRS

GSOH

PO BOX 42

She’d chosen The Times newspaper this time hoping that this would exclude the undesirable. One or two had come though the door since she had started browsing the columns. Now she was looking for something a little more upmarket. She didn’t care if he owned his own house or car she already had her own. Worked hard for them too!! Admittedly her home didn’t actually belong to her yet! But it would be in a few years as soon as the last payment went off to the loan company. Several people had made comments about her car including her friend Lisa. It was an old fashioned Mini with a ’79 plate. The Mini was painted in her favourite purple colour, in good condition. The Mini was her pride and joy and every Sunday she meticulously cleaned both inside and out. The Mini was cheap to run and that suited her just fine.

She looked at her watch; it seemed odd to look at the giant clock-face just above her head. She’d arrived just in time to see the 6.45 to London pull out. She was early of course, she was always early. They were supposed to be meeting under the clock at 7.  It had started to rain while she was on her way and just at that moment her umbrella had decided to break and went whirling and swirling down the street, just missing the row of heads of people waiting at a bus stop, so all the hard work she’d put in trying to get her hair to sit just right, was for nothing. She arrived at the station looking far from her best, so she nipped into the ladies and attempted to get the dragged-through-a-hedge-backwards look out of her hair.  She was glad that she’d worn a coat though as the coolness of the September evening was closing in.

She took out the advert from her pocket. Reading it she started to imagine what this guy would look like. They had spoken briefly on the phone, to arrange this meeting. But apart from that she knew nothing about him, except that he should read The Times. He did seem nice; he said he’d wear a white tie so she would recognize him. She said she’d be holding a copy of The Times. After she put the phone down she thought that it sounded far too clichéd. That was 2 days ago and since then she’d done nothing but try on different outfits. Lisa said not to go too dressed up but try to make some effort. Jeans seemed to be the in between choice with a nice top and her better jacket. She slipped her feet into her favourite black boots, not too high but high enough to make her reach 5’4 or 5. That way she wouldn’t look too short or dumpy.

God didn’t bless her with long legs like Lisa but then God didn’t bless Lisa with hips, straight down she went from arm pits to ankles.

She looked at her watch again: only 5 minutes had passed. She wondered if he would be the first one to arrive on time. She looked around the station in case she could see him approach. She moved away from the clock and stood a little further down the forecourt. She hid the newspaper so he wouldn’t recognize her. She’d spent many a long night thinking and dreaming about this guy and when it comes down to it the butterflies start, sweaty palms and she can’t go through with it. Lisa said she was being daft, that the description he gave sounded good. That he couldn’t be worse than the last guy she’d dated. What a waste of space he’d turned out to be, with his flash second hand car, borrowed suit and an ego bigger than both of them. She wanted someone far more down to earth, someone independent who wouldn’t be borrowing money every week. She avoided dating anyone from the office and besides the only one worth looking at was the boss and she was steering well clear of him. No! Office romances were out. She wanted someone who would treat her with the love and respect she deserves. Looks weren’t important but self worth, cleanliness and self respect were. She wanted a man that was doing something for himself, who knew where he was going in life. She was the scatty brain, he was to be the dependable one, “boring” as Lisa had said but that’s what she wanted, no more bikers, rock-climbers or DJ’s; exciting wasn’t what she was looking for, she’d been there done that. No she wanted Mr Normal.

As she glanced at her watch again she realised he was late; she thought a bit more about this so called ‘knight.’

“Late” she thought to herself. “Well, if he’s keeping me waiting then he’s not dependable.”

She decided to go for a coffee before heading home. The café was quite crowded but she found an empty chair at a table in the corner, there was a half drunken cup of coffee on it but she moved it away and sat down. Deciding to read the paper while she waited for her coffee, she didn’t notice the man sit next to her.

 “Hello,” he said.

She moved the paper away from her face.

“Oh hi! I didn’t think there was anyone at this table. Sorry. I’ll move to another.”

“No, that’s ok. We can share this one.”

She looked across the table, straight into a pair of gorgeous blue eyes, a weathered face and long brown hair.

“A biker,” she thought.

“So you here waiting for a train?” he asked.

“Errr… well no I mean, I was waiting but not anymore”

“Oh right, I’m waiting for my train home, just came in for the day.”

“You on holiday then?” she asked

“No, I work in the city but live out.”

She looked at the biker jacket and boots and wondered why he didn’t come in on his bike. There was a familiarity to his voice but she couldn’t place it.

“So what’s your name?”

“Clare."

 “Well, Clare, I’m Tig. It’s very nice to meet you.”

“Tig! That’s an unusual name.”

“It’s my nick-name. It’s what my mates call me.”

They drank more coffee and chatted, after a while Clare remembered why she was there and decided she must go.

“Thanks for the coffee.” she said.

“That’s ok, anytime.” Tig replied.

Clare looked at her watch and wondered if the ‘knight’ would be there ‘waiting’.

“Are you expecting someone?” Tig inquired.

“Errr… No, I was, but it’s too late now anyway.”

“Too late, for what?”

“It sounds silly, I was meant to meet my knight in shining armour here tonight.”

“Oh.” Tig sighed.

“But he never turned up.” Clare quickly replied and before she knew it she was retelling the whole episode to this guy she’d only just met.

“Sounds to me, like, you’d made up your mind not to meet this guy before you got here.”

“Not really.” Clare said “It’s just I want someone who’s dependable, independent, and who shows respect not a rock-climber, DJ or biker.”

“Yes, well, I can see that we can look a little out of place in a cocktail bar.” Tig said smiling.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean…”

“It’s ok, I don’t normally wear this stuff, it’s only at weekends, I can be my alter ego.”

Clare laughed, this was nice, he seems to have a great sense of humour.

“What do you do in the city?” Clare asked

“I manage my own company, been a bit lost recently, amassed all my wealth and forgot to find someone to share it with.” he laughed. “Are you hungry?” he asked.

She hadn’t thought about food but she’d eaten nothing since breakfast.

“Yes I am.” she replied.

She was feeling quite content with her lot right now, happy to let things happen. Tig went to pay for the coffees.

“That was nice of him.” she thought.

As she stood up she noticed Tig’s rucksack on the floor, something was sticking out of one of the pockets, a white tie! she looked up at him just as he turned smiled and pointed to the ad in The Times.