9. Strange London

Strange things have been happening to me in London recently... namely four things in as many weeks. I've heard that they're digging up the victorian water pipes near Liverpool Street so maybe something's got in the drinking supply.

Last week I was getting on the train into London and as usual there weren't many seats left - I am a nightmare if you see me on a train in the morning - I refuse to stand when I've paid as much as I have for my ticket.

On this particular morning there were very few seats left - I dodged the first as it would have mean't sitting next to my ex - not a good way to start the day! As I finally reached to last spare seat on the train and sat down I realised I was sitting next to this boy that I used to work with when I was about 14. We used to collect glasses in a local social club. He was a few years older than me and used to make me kiss him - that was my first real experience with boys and I hadn't seen him since those days. Anyway, I went to sleep as usual and woke up at Fenchurch Street, made a quick exit off the train and hoped I wouldn't see him again - I can't have a proper sleep next to someone I know!

I saw him the next day at the train station, and the day after that - he was always staring! Later that day I realised why... I had got home from work and was sorting out my bag - throwing away receipts of things I would want to take back later - you know, the usual! I came across a piece of paper that I was about to throw away when I read it - it said:

"Hi - I remember you - you used to work with me, gimme a text sometime"

I couldn't believe it!! He had slipped a note into my bag whilst I was asleep on a train full of people - why did nobody tell me? He could have been putting anthrax in there or anything! I didn't respond in case you're wondering - what's the point? Ok so at the age of 13 or 14 he taught me how to kiss but that's over now. The thing I love the most? Back then he thought he was so cool - he would bring his friends down and they would smoke and I would be the younger one who they would leave with all the work while they chatted up girls but who's laughing now eh? Still - I was flattered.

The ultimate hot-spot for strange things to happen is Cannon Street in London - that's where I work. One day I was just walking along minding my own business when this man in a suit slips me a card - when I look at it is says: "I want a one night stand with you" and then goes on to say - if you're about in London and you want a one night stand - I would really like it - there's this website to go on and you type in his code or something - of course I didn't do it, but how random. I wonder if people all over London are actually doing this? This sort of thing happens to me on Cannon Street regularly - random people just start talking to me - it's ok so long as they're not weirdos who look like they belong on Crimewatch!

London is full of guys that are just waiting to talk to you - you would never get that back home. Even in nightclubs in Essex everyone more or less stays in their little group of friends they went out with and two very rarely mix.

There is one man I see almost every single day (we'll call him Tall Man) - every night as I leave work at about 5:29 I see him just by Monumnet tube station - he's really really tall and that's why I first noticed him. I don't know how it started but we started smiling at each other - it doesn't sound alot but when I see him for that fleeting second or two and he smiles I can't help but smile and it feels ... crazy! It's funny how you can be totally kissing someone... or more and feel absolutely nothing yet a small smile from a stranger you see every day and you can feel electric! Why is that? I often wonder if we will ever stop and actually speak to each other? I totally believe in fate and I find it so weird that out of the hundreds of people you walk past in rush hour through London we have singled each other out - unless of course he is a chronic smiler and just does it to every girl he passes. I wonder what he does and where he lives - I don't even know how old he is.

Once when I was about 16 someone text me by mistake - we ended up texting for about two years - we never did meet. Just as well probably as it's never the same as what your brain makes up for you. Maybe it's the same with this Tall Man. Who knows?