This one life

First date

Do you like my stupid hair?
Would you guess that I didn't know what to wear?
I'm just scared of what you think
You make me nervous so I really can't eat

„First date", Blink-182

You see, I don't mind crowds; if I would I could never go stage-diving or talk to my fans, for instance. But the thought of all of these people squeezed into that little train compartment and stuck in a narrow, dark tunnel is not a cheerful one. But now I don't have a choice. She is already inside and the longer I wait, the fuller this place is going to get. So I follow her inside and find myself pressed against her shoulder and hip. I smile at her and she smiles back, and for several minutes, I think I know just how uncomfortable she feels. I want to get away from here because there are too many people in this small place, and she seems to feel the same way. I have a funny feeling it is not because of all the other people, though...

We stand there in silence and I have time to watch her left hand and arm, where goose bumps fight against the heat in the compartment. I am really glad I didn't put on my leather jacket and enjoy the cool breeze every time the compartment door opens at a stop. I take out my cell phone (which is difficult), type "Brüderschaft trinken" into Google and read the first hit. 2 minutes later, I know why she has been blushing in the taxi: it is a German ritual to pass from the formal 'Sie' to the informal 'you' which involves drinking with your arms interlocked, and also a kiss, usually on the mouth, and nowadays more often on the cheek. I smile at the thought of kissing her again. It is a pleasant one, and so I decide to bring up the topic at a later suitable moment – preferably when we have something to drink.

„Es ist nicht weit, nur noch 5 Minuten oder so", sagt er und ich falle neben ihm in einen gemütlichen Schlendergang eine kleine, belebte Gasse entlang.

Ich habe keine Ahnung wo wir sind, aber es scheint mitten im Herzen von London zu sein, und viele Menschen sind bei diesem schönen Wetter zu Fuß unterwegs. Ich überlege gerade krampfhaft, was ich wohl sagen könnte, da werden wir von der Seite angesprochen.