Thursday, August 6, 2009

resolution: funny story

Thought I'd share this tale with you all, not because it has any particular value in the wisdom or helpfulness department, but because I just shake my head and laugh every time it gets stranded on the shores of my memory banks.

About a year and a half ago, I took a really quick trip over to Egypt on company flight passes when I was employed with a Northern airline. I was able to get over for a fraction of what it would cost normally and figured what the hell, I'd wanted to go see the pyramids and temples as long as I could remember.

Anywho, I scheduled about two or three days at the tail end of the 8 or 9 day trip for London, England -- a city which I've kind of had a love affair with since first visiting it in 2002. I wanted to see a show, and just sit around inconspicuously drinking coffee in cafes and pints in pubs. And of course, I checked myself back in to St. Christopher's Inn -- a wicked hostel full of great memories and many more which I cannot recollect.

One evening, feeling a little lonely, I decided to sign-up for a pub crawl, which would take us to about five different spots over a couple hours. Now I knew what to expect -- the "crazy" party tourists who would do pretty much anything and make complete asses out of themselves because they were away from home for the first time probably and they would try to outdo each other for the top and most memorable story from that evening -- and although I was still a little pooped (and swollen) from Egypt, the longing for social interaction trumped all and pushed me to pints.

Sitting in the hostel pub awaiting the start of the crawl, I sat down and started chatting with two American ladies from San Fransisco. In five minutes, I discovered that one of the ladies had made having a one-night stand her New Years Eve Resolution -- it was the second week of January. Apparently, she had never had one and always got super-attached with any guy she'd slept with, which I guess wasn't having very good results. She thought a one-night stand would change her attitudes. I laughed.

So we set out for the first bar -- a pack of about 20 of us (3/4 horny dudes) with half of the group already quite tipsy -- and news of this lady's resolution must have gotten out because she was surrounded like a wounded moose by a pack of wolves. Guys were buying her drinks, carrying her around. It was a scene.

Fast-forward two bars later and she is making out with a guy with long hair and a beard. Her friend is rolling her eyes in the seat beside her. I say goodnight and head back to my room in a haze of alcohol. I pick up some laundry in my room and bring it upstairs where I meet some really cool Argentinians and spend a couple hours talking with them, as the drunkest of the drunk filter into the hostel.

The next morning, I bump into the lady's friend. Apparently, her friend -- one-night stand lady -- slept with the guy that night. 

"Mission Accomplished," I said.

She winced. I was right... except, the two were now out sightseeing together.

And this went on for another full day.

As is customary with people you meet for an instant and will probably never see again, we added each other as friends on Facebook. While I didn't think much of it at the time, I am extremely grateful we extended each other this courtesy, as I've been able to watch through status updates the progression of the relationship -- from single to it's complicated to in a relationship... to engaged.

Yes, my friends. Engaged.

She in San Fransisco. He in London.

I saw as they'd visit each other. And read the complaints about not seeing the other person or the distance or whatever.

And now they're engaged.

That's a long night.

"How did you two meet?"

That's some kind of wedding story.

1 comment:

Jung said...

HAHAHAHAA

Great post.

Slingin pimpness