Wednesday 28 July 2010

Found

From about the age of 25, I had a niggle in the back of my mind that I might not ever find Mr Right, get married and have children. At times I would feel lonely, and worried about ever meeting The One - the chances seemed pretty slim to me.

I spent my twenties in London, partying, watching Ally McBeal, dabbling in Internet dating, and eating cold Chinese takeaways for breakfast. I would go out to bars and clubs with my friends, always with half an eye on trying to find my suitor. As the years went by and I got closer to thirty, the niggle got bigger.

Then I met Tom, through mutual friends. We spent the first two years of knowing each other, forming a purely platonic relationship, and although we weren't 'together' I stopped fretting over whether I would ever find the one. I just enjoyed my relationship with 'Platonic Tom' as my friends used to call him. We would go to Hampstead Heath and Primrose Hill and throw frisbees to each other. We would sit and talk for hours. We would feed each McDonald's chicken nuggets. We would go to the pub and have a pint and play chess. We would pretend to be tourists and get real tourists to take photos of us standing next to all the attractions in central London. We would cook for each other. We would listen to his depressing music together. We would paint and draw pictures together. We would play pool at the Elbow Rooms together.

We enjoyed each others company, we were best friends and neither of us were in any rush. I never worried about the fact that our relationship was platonic for so long, because I knew, really and truly, that I had found The One...


(This was written for Josie's writing workshop)

17 comments:

san said...

Oh that's just lovely. I've got a big grin on my face :-) x

Janet said...

This made me smile so much! Thanks for sharing. : )

Elsie Button said...

thank you ladies! it's lovely to reminisce...

truly scrumptious said...

You can't stop THERE Elsie!!! Leaving us on the edge of our seats. What happened to take it to the next stage? Did Tom drop his chicken Mcnugget in your lap one day then accidentally brush your cheek with his while trying to retreive it???!!
Personally though, I love it. It gives a context to Betty and Dolly.

Elsie Button said...

hi truly scrumptious, ha ha! you have prompted me to post the next instalment. (and altho the chicken nuggets played an important, if vital role in our relationship-building, there was more to come...) x

Catching the Magic said...

Ah what a precious find! A lovely read :)

Elsie Button said...

Hi Sarah, certainly was! thanks for stopping by

Unknown said...

That's so sweet.

I think our culture spends so much time obsessed with these huge melodramatic love stories that we miss the beauty and importance of quite loves. Those relationships that slowly blossom overtime and last forever.

Elsie Button said...

Hi another goldfish, what a lovely comment!

Nic's Notebook said...

Awww how lovely! So have you stopped having cold chinese takeaways for breakfast now then lol..!!

A Mum said...

that's sweet. very, very sweet. and ally mcbeal takes me back too so poignance all round ...

Heather Davis said...

Sounds like you were having a great time in your 20s. Isn't it sad we worry about things and in the end it all works out. I wish I hadn't spent so much of my younger years fretting and instead just enjoying all the fun I was having. A lovely post and yes the next installment please!

nappy valley girl said...

What a great story and how lovely to hear about how you and Tom got together. I really want to hear the next part too!

Elsie Button said...

hi nic's notebook, cold chinese for breakfast now? - must have over done it in my youth because now can't even eat hot chinese food in the evening

hi reluctant, i hovered over the entire box set of ally mcbeal in the hmv the other day and almost bought it!

Hi nappy valley and heather, i will really really enjoy writing the next bit - i love to reminisce

Iota said...

My favourite bit in this is you pretending to be tourists, and getting Londoners to take pictures of you. Although I'm wondering if perhaps I was ever one of the gullible Londoners.

Iota said...

Ah, just re-read that bit. You got OTHER TOURISTS to take the pictures. That sounds like fair play. You're forgiven.

artfulstampin said...

just stumbled across your blog and read this wonderful post, just lovely. I have a mr the one called Tom too!!! he said he knew when he bumped into me in a toy shop! I think i knew from the first moment...