It has been a difficult week, what with the several business conferences I had to attend and Miranda (Boss) trying to ensure I get every single detail clarified. If I do a little math, I've been on my computer sorting work-related issues for fifty-two hours, thereabout. It's crazy, and I'm not even paid a substantial amount of money. To think I still borrow money from Mummy to get groceries and clothes... Or maybe it is just my spending habits... Whatever it is, I'm losing money and my overbearing job isn't sufficiently compensating for that. The decisions I make, for heaven's sake...
Didn't manage to speak with Jon throughout the last couple of days, only managed to catch him once during lunch and even then, we didn't talk for very long. There was always somebody interfering with our conversation, he has a lot of friends, why am I not surprised... Before long, we had to part once again. Our conversation never picked up where it last left off.
Back during college, he was one of the popular kids, I gathered it was because he had such a pleasing countenance, and possessed very amiable qualities - affable, good-humoured, genial. He was a chatterbox, never stopped talking, not excepting his lamentations. Very discreet in his expressions, seldom talked about himself, always prudence, acceptance and duty. I held him in great respect for that, most people these days love to boast about themselves and henceforth plunge themselves into conflict and competition. For what?
Anyway, no notable events in the last few days except one I think deserves to be documented.
Last night I was running a relaxing aromatherapy bath when my phone pinged. Absolutely perfect timing. Jon sent me a text.
'Free for a walk along Tower Bridge? I heard the night lights there are a must-see and it would be quite pitiful if I went alone so here's an invitation.'
Who does he think I am? Somebody who can just forfeit all his plans at one go and head out?
'Yeah sure, 8pm good with you?' I am so weak.
'Sure, see you at lobby.'
I was astounded, he had tons of friends to hang out with in the city and he specifically picked me to go out with him to see the lights at Tower Bridge? Unbelievable.
My spirits were in such high flutter I almost forgot my room key. Met him in the lobby, boarded the Tube to Tower Hill, and walked along the Thames to Tower Bridge. I noticed he was keeping at a slower pace than his usual, guess he didn't want to hurry the occasion.
We bantered, had a wonderful repartee, basked in each other's exultation, relished in the laughs we gave. Phone rang in the middle of a conversation, it was Miranda, and somehow, I managed to summon the courage to hang up on her midway through dialogue. Never done that before in my life.
The lights were so beautiful, gleaming brightly in the dimly-lit sky, definitely a spectacle to behold. Jon was awestruck and his gaze wandered all over, had to shout at him at one point to snap him out of his wonderment. Experiencing this with him, gave me such hope and resolution. Great joy.
"Your sense of humour hasn't changed you know, I like you for that!"
"Say what?" I wanted him to repeat that again, any compliment coming from my love was a gem in itself.
"I said you have a great sense of humour, ever considered stand-up comedy?"
"Not a successful, highly-regarded profession in Singapore. And now I'm stuck in this job that won't pay me well, at the beck and call of Miranda all the damn time. I make poor decisions, that goes without saying..."
"Why do you debase yourself that way?"
"It's what I genuinely am, I am not afflicted with false modesty, when I say I make poor decisions, I..."
I must've looked sullen and downcast at this prospect because suddenly he pulled me by the arm and dragged me to a Waterstones Bookstore. So spontaneous.
"Here, read this!" And he handed me 'Good Vibes; Good Life' by Vex King.
"Not into self-help books though." Never was into those, very cliche content.
"Try it, believe me it'll change your perspective."
I gave a look of disbelief. Is he serious?
"For the better of course."
He ended up paying for the book as a "reunion gift" or something, just an excuse to get the book for me. Generous lad.
We returned to the hotel around nine-thirty. He wanted to come up to my room but stopped him, needed some rest, my emotions had been running wild the whole evening. But what a memorable evening with Jonathan, I'll never forget that one for a while. In retrospect, looking at it now, I've successfully rekindled an old relationship, and I daresay, hanging out right now is as if time ceased to exist, we've never changed, the same emotions still overwhelm me as they did with vehemence back in the day. Oh the way we were... Okay getting sentimental.
