Marcus

‘Never met a guy that could express himself so well?’
          Gosh, I didn’t even know I could express myself so well!
          
          We talked for ages about everything and anything.
          Katie was from Toronto. She was a city girl. She had been studying for a medical degree when she split with her boyfriend of six years. The split and the pressure of exams had just been too much for her, so after finishing her exams, she decided to take a break and head over to Europe for a holiday. Katie’s family was quite well off financially, and her father had gifted this trip to her as a graduation present.
          “My father never really liked him, Pierre that is, so he was quite glad when we split up. But, after six years in a relationship, I found it hard to let go. So this time in Europe will definitely take my mind away from that.”
          
          We chatted as we watched the English countryside roll past outside the coach windows.
          I found that Katie and I were very similar in our likes and dislikes. As we neared Dover, I found myself thinking that perhaps I had found my soul-mate.
          
          Little was I to know how soon disaster would strike me so forlornly.
          
          We rolled into Dover around lunchtime, and as the coach slowed by the Eurotunnel departure terminal, the driver announced that we would be having a short stop before boarding the train to Calais.
          We all alighted the coach and set off to the terminal where there were duty-free and food shops. Katie went to see if she could find a postcard to send to her parents while I wandered off in the direction of McDonalds.
          I was hungry, my stomach growled, reminding me I hadn’t had any breakfast before I’d left London. I grabbed a Big Mac meal, sat at a table and ate my food. I watched the other people around me chatting and eating.
          It was great to be away from New Zealand, and a feeling of total freedom enveloped me. I had no worry about having to get up and milk the cows, or feed hay out to the sheep. 
          

“Hi Katie, I’m Tai, and I am from New Zealand.” I said, shaking her hand and instantly feeling the softness of her skin.
          She was one fine girl!
          “I’m traveling Europe on my gap year. I was studying for my doctorate, and it all got a bit too much, so I took a year off and, well, here I am.” She slumped back in her seat, then turned and looked at me
          “What about you Tai, what’s your story?”
          “Me, well, just got sick of New Zealand really. Done lots there, aye.” I was struggling to think what to say,
          “Um, some of my mate’s have done the big OE, so I thought it’s my turn now. Saved up for a couple of years, worked real hard, and well, here I am.”
          “How can you get sick of New Zealand Tai, I hear it’s one of the most beautiful countries in the world.” She was looking deep into my eyes and I could see she was really interested in what I had to say.
          “Dunno how to say it Katie, but when you live in a place and see what’s going on around you, you know, all ya mates and their stuff goin on in their lives, well, you begin to think what else is out there. I got stuck in a rut with where I was living. You see, I lived in a small country town and everyone knew everyone. I just got sick of it all. When my mate came back from overseas, I had a few beers with him down the pub. We talked about things, and well, that was when I decided I had to get out of that town. If I’d stayed, I’d have ended up working on my dad’s farm. I’d probably inherit it, and that may sound good, but then I’d be stuck in that town for the rest of my life. Marry some local girl, have kids, get old and die. I’d never see this part of the world.”
          I suddenly realized I was rambling.
          “Sorry Katie didn’t mean to blab on like that.”
          “No Tai, that was fantastic! I’ve never met a guy that can express himself so well.” She looked at me with those brown eyes again and smiled,
          “I’m impressed, I must say!”
          “Gosh, cheers mate” I was blushing.

As the bus started its way out of the station, I thought to myself how cool it was to be going to Amsterdam and wondered what exciting adventures lay ahead for me.
          The heat of the day felt good, and the feeling of being on my way to Europe relaxed me. I lay back and watched the world go by as the coach wound its way through the streets and suburbs of London.
          After what seemed an eternity, we were on the road heading for Dover. As we drove down the motorway, I listened to my walkman and looked out the window at the scenery. The Canadian girl in front of me was writing in what looked to be her diary.
          Her brown hair was long and wavy, and I could smell her perfume. It was musky, very nice, not like the flowery perfumes that I definitely didn’t like.
          I was wondering what to say to her to try and get the conversation rolling when she quite suddenly turned round and said hello to me.
          “Hi there, howzit?” I replied back
          “Good thank you, are you going to Amsterdam?” She asked in a sexy French accent.
          “Yeah, thought I’d check it out, sounds like a choice place by what I’ve heard.” I replied, “Howz about you, you goin too?” I asked, smiling at her with a cheeky grin.
          and held out her hand, “My name is Katie, and I am from Canada”