A Chance Meeting
Today I’m back in London. The last twenty-four hours have been somewhat of a whirlwind. Expectations suck. They pressurise situations. Here’s why.
London, UK.
I’m back. In the comfort of my own room and set-up.
No longer am I curled up on a bunk-bed writing words or using a restaurant table and free WiFi to get the blog up on time.
I have my desk light. Water bottle. And song on repeat.
Today’s song: ‘Tears In Your Eyes’ by Nora En Pure
The second-to-last song that was played before we left Tesla Club.
It was heavily remixed in the club but the beat and rhythm still keep me at ease and will help to remind me of calm and relaxing times.
Today’s story doesn’t actually have anything to do with today.
Well nothing after 4am anyway.
All I did today was fight my cold which I contracted whilst being away. I tried to go to the gym and failed. I stopped after squats and I really need a hard look at my barbell row technique. I nearly hurt my glutes again today.
I’ve slept a lot. Catching up on sleep lost during a night of madness.
And that’s where our story begins.
Shortly before posting the blog from Budapest Airport, our flight had been delayed by 30 minutes as I reported yesterday.
Not to worry, more time to chill before a two hour journey back home.
We arrived at the plane. Took our seats. Started to make ourselves comfortable.
Around fifteen minutes into everyone being on the plane and I believe the back door being closed, there was a seemingly confused atmosphere amongst the passengers.
It wasn’t helped by a group of loud and rather disrespectful girls.
They were so rude that it made for a happy ending. More to follow.
Soon enough, the pilot informed us that 184 passengers were on board for an accounted 183.
For security reasons, as I and many (except for these girls), could appreciate we didn’t want one person on board that didn’t have any right to be there.
During this consultation between the pilot, cabin crew and ground staff — I struck up conversation with my neighbours.
Alex was sitting opposite in an attempt to give us extra legroom on the aisle seat.
That didn’t work to the best of its abilities.
Besides the point, speaking to my neighbours was the best thing I could have done that flight.
They were newly-weds (since September 2017 but you get the gist) — Chance and Miriam (Mim).
Chance had recently finished his Masters in Dramatherapy and will be working with recovering drug addicts.
Mim works for a women’s social enterprise which is also a bakery and helps women from disadvantaged backgrounds with emotional and professional support through the medium of cake-making.
Both Northerners by birth living in London with hearts of gold.
No North-South divide issues here.
I was so inspired by speaking to them and hearing their social mission that I felt an immediate surge of positive energy.
Being a naturally anxious person when things out of my control disrupt the situation — speaking to them about their stories and how they got into what they do was something particularly comforting.
We later found out a boy had fallen unwell during the miscount situation. He was offloaded along with his friends and we were on our way.
We were on our way just over two hours later.
Chance and Mim had planned to take the Stansted Express train to Liverpool Street and then a taxi to their home in Dalston.
Knowing a rough roadmap of the area and route that Alex and I needed to take home — I offered them a ride to their place.
I tried to refuse to take money by Chance’s northern stubbornness made it impossible to disagree.
It was a minor detour, driving at 20mph for a lot of the way but it was well worth it.
Chance and Mim are two people that have made an impact on me.
They opened up their knowledge and took the time to understand my desires.
Two best friends and now partners who are doing amazing social work.
It gives me a lot of hope for my future endeavours.
I didn’t have any expectations to meet anyone on this trip.
I wanted to be self-centred and enjoy myself as much as possible before returning to reality.
I succeeded to do that but also I managed to still be me.
My love for people. Their stories. Their experiences. Their journey.
That’s what gets me up in the morning.
Meeting new people. Creating strong bonds over hatred for lousy girls singing and whaling at the top of their lungs.
Society is a beautiful construct. I now want to live my life not expecting anything from what life holds.
I want to set goals. Achieve them and move on. But I don’t want to orchestrate the in-betweens.
I want to live in the flow of the moment.
Because otherwise, I wouldn’t have had
A Chance (and Mim) meeting.