So, how's this for complete randomness?
Last Thursday, I was late getting to work as usual. I was waiting on the subway platform and saw a cute guy standing nearby. [For those of you who know where I live, I would never call it the "subway" in real life. But for anonymity's sake, it's the subway. :P] The first train that showed up was packed to the gills. Normally I would have just jumped on and dealt with it since I was running late, but there was another train about a minute away, so I waited. Sadly, cute guy did not and squished himself onto this train. I was sad. :(
Turns out this was actually in my favor. I jump on the next train, which was blissfully empty, and get off at my stop for work. I start walking to the other side of the platform's stairs to avoid the crush of people disembarking. To my amazement, Facebook guy is RIGHT THERE, waiting for the opposite train. Whaaaaa!
(Okay. Facebook guy is officially "Josh," because "FB guy" could be misconstrued as Fuck Buddy Guy or Ferret Boy Guy or something.)
Yeah. Very random. He stopped and recognized me, so we had a 30 second conversation, because his train was pulling up and he was leaving for the airport. Anyway, as he was getting on the train, he said, "We have to ride together soon," or something to that effect.
Gerhh. That means I have to actually start riding my bike so I don't die on a simple 25 mile ride – that is, if he follows up. I'm also the world's slowest uphill biker, even when I'm in shape, because my knees are shot and I ride with a triple chainring (meaning, itty bitty front gear so my poor knees don't explode). That triple is the reason I have a "no two person bike rides" policy – because most guy road bikers are total spokejocks/triathletes-in-training who treat every ride as if it's a competition, and also have no road manners (aka, not staying on the shoulder, etc.).
On the flip side, guys who bicycle recreationally on hybrid/mountain bikes are scared by my road bike, because I usually go faster/farther than they do, even when I'm riding at my normal, slowish pace. Sounds dumb, but it's happened. So, as silly as it sounds, my policy has some merit. ;) The only person who's an exception to the rule is my dad, and that's only because he's 30+ years older than me and I'm able to keep up with him.
Anyway, it's funny to think that skipping the first train and missing out on the cute guy from my station (who I probably wouldn't have even talked to... or better yet, is married) would time perfectly when I walked off the second train. AND I was wearing my hair down, so I didn't look like my normal, disheveled self with a lopsided ponytail! Strange how these things happen.
Post title song reference: "Take the 'A' Train" - Billy Strayhorn/Duke Ellington orchestra
Gotta love fun moments like that. :)
ReplyDeleteGah, Blogger ate my reply! What I was going to say was that I was still shaking my head when I got up to the street -- like, "What the heck just happened?!"
DeleteI wish I had more chance encounters like this!
ReplyDeleteAnd it's awesome that you're a road biker! My dad has been an avid cyclist since I was a kid. He's almost 63 and looks like he's at least 10 years younger - I attribute it to cycling.
And dude, you should totally just take the mountain biker guys with you so you can show them up ;-p
It's a long story, but the first encounter wasn't exactly by chance, but fortunately didn't really pan out (otherwise would have been very embarrassing). I'm glad this time was purely by chance. :)
DeleteMy dad has been cycling since I was a kid, too -- although I think it's taken a few years off my mom's life! The time he broke his collarbone from slipping on sand gave her a quite a few gray hairs. ;)