England and Italy

[The following happened to me a few years ago. I wrote it down then (so certain aspects are now out-dated, e.g., Kate and Joe got married summer 2006) and still like it now, so I thought I'd post it. I'm not a big fan of long posts (believe it or not), but I couldn't think of a good place to split it up, so, it's all here.]

My friend Joe went to Africa on some kind of service project and met Kate from England. A year later he moved to Bristol.

They’re engaged to be married.

* * *

On Friday I took the train to school. My first class on Friday starts at 9:40, but I got on the 8:03 train so I could get some reading in.

I was sitting next to a nice, Indian-looking chick (and I mean India Indian), also reading. Indifferently, I wondered if we were reading the same thing and was about to use it as an excuse to start up a train conversation (short, insincere, and generally awkward) when the conductor came on over the intercom and said that the police wouldn't let us go any further north without any other explanation.

We stopped at the next stop, 33rd South, and we all had to get out. The conductor debarked with us and told us that we were going to be picked up by a bus and taken to another stop where we could resume normal train travel.

The crowd stood, waiting. I noticed a casual friend from high school, Joof, and started joking a little bit with him about the situation. Gradually I became aware of a cute girl obviously overhearing us and apparently appreciating what she heard. The bus came, we boarded, and I began the arduous process of convincing myself that not only was it a good idea to sit next to this girl, but that I should talk to her as well. It was a tough sell, but I pulled it off, just barely, and sat down next to her instead of Joof. (This is not quite as impressive as it sounds as the seats near the front of the bus faced inward rather than forward, creating two opposing rows, backs to the windows: I didn’t have to pair myself off with her or anything like that. That would have taken more work—too much more work.)

As we sat there, somebody announced that there had been a bomb threat at one of the stops, hence the rerouting with a bus. Casually, I glanced at the girl and asked her where she was going. The girl took the bait and we began to chat freely. We talked about school and we talked about bombs; we talked about religion (an oddly natural offshoot of bombs these days) and we talked about public transportation.

When the bus dropped us off at the next available—the next safe stop, we got on the train together and continued the conversation. She didn't sit down but stayed standing near the door and I asked her if she didn't mind if I stood with her. Not at all. It was a perfect series of moments. There was no awkwardness. I wouldn't say that I was on, just that it was comfortable, and I like to think that she felt the same way. She talked quite a bit more than I did, and I got the impression that she appreciated the opportunity. It wasn't weird, though, just an intriguing characteristic of a good conversation. I asked her for her name and she said it was Venice.

Venice?

Venice.

Venice?—Am I saying that correctly?

Yes, Venice.

Like the city?

Like the city. She was headed to the LDS Business College, and I was headed to the University of Utah. When we came to the Gallivan Center stop I had to transfer to the other line. I thanked her for her company and she thanked me for mine. I stepped off the train and turned around as the doors slid shut. I stood there, on the crowded stop, looking at her looking at me, thinking to myself (suddenly alarmed), Why didn't I ask for her number? as the expression on her receding face asked, Why didn't he ask for my number?

As the train pulled away, I followed her car with my eyes as fantasies of chasing it flashed through my head. Who needs a math class? Math be damned!—some things are more important! But it was too late. The train was gone and my connection came and before I knew it I was explaining to Joof what a damn fool I am.

Math was as boring as ever.

Today I took the train to work. I got on at 8:03 and at every stop changed to a different car. Then I stopped and waited for the next train, just in case.

She wasn't on that one either.