The English - Asian Connection

There I sat at the edge of a trunk table of this airy outdoor place in front of someone I had seen about 4 years ago. No idea what to say, just trying to keep the conversation alive. He did not stare into my eyes while talking and made occupational smoking an excuse to look away now and then. I had no clue I would be spending a long long time with this guy who was trying so hard to hide his shyness that it was more and more obvious second by second.

Started with facebook, a really random message one day. A 'hi' on the chat ignored several times by me was somehow reverted to that day and the talks just overflew. So overly impressed by him, I couldn't stop wondering as to how I was so small discussing 3 percent worth assignments while he was out there talking of LOIs, procurement problems, terms that made absolute no sense to me. I loved hearing; although I must say Commodity trading was not a very interesting topic for a gossip girl series follower like me ! Somehow when he spoke; it all made sense.

A dinner in return for a creative business favour; it was decided and I had succumbed. Who knew it wouldn't stop there. Fate was definitely on our side as neither the conversation went dry nor did my quench for apple caramel mojitos; and later not being charged for it, simply wonderful !

Soon we bid goodbye. England was my love and South East Asia his. With absolute nothing in common, it was so easy to forget, so easy to let go, even easier to not recollect later. But sometimes things are planned to click, planned to create that dent as he calls it.

Singapore could be heaven for shopaholics, a work wonderland for those hard working bankers and engineers, sheer fun for college goers et al. Somehow I felt he didn't fit anywhere. He was indeed trying hard, very hard for something I had no idea about until much later. It was killing me; the suspicion of what he does, where he stays, etc but had no answers what so ever.

I happened to ask him once in one of our million telephonic conversations, why is that I don't know anything about you? He paused for a second and said: Well when I figure on Forbes a few years later will you still ask me this question? I was stunned, a little pissed too I must say with his overconfidence and streak of vanity. I avoided conversation for a couple months until one day I got to know things that would change what I think of him completely.

While I slept on a king size bed in an apartment overlooking the plush city center of Sheffield; he was checking in and out of backpacker hostels. While I updated my Skype for the newest version; he saved money to use the Cybercafe pcs to talk to me. While I bought a new phone asking my dad; he saved up to upgrade his bb services. I searched for his Birthday gift everywhere I could; he wrote me a letter. I bought him a wallet; he got me an antique compass from 1920 British Raj in India. While I discussed the sales around; he discussed the stock market.I talked of submissions; he talked of meetings across countries. While I sat and howled about coming second; he accepted dissolved business deals like a gulp of water.

The difference was so obvious! While things kept lining up for me; he had to trim and cut from every corner to find a fresh piece of life. But still I felt he was much more satisfied; so content to be able to do things one self even though the option of help was just a phone call away. I fretted earlier. Entirely jealous of other girls being swept off their feet by their beloveds. One thing I kept forgetting whatever he did; he did it for me. Whatever he did; he never let me feel it was out of troublesome efforts.

Sometimes you don't have to go far to find someone who is ready to hold you when you fall. But you certainly need to fall to go far with someone! I did.