Trains seem to have featured heavily in the more significant areas of our
relationship. It was 20th January 2000 when I met Brian. It was about
10.30 at night at Victoria Station, London, and rather drunk that we were,
neither of us has ever forgotten it. We were both there, trying to get
home, both slightly worse for wear from separate parties.
As I was waiting for my train platform to be announced, I found myself,
swaying slightly, and generally looking around the station. My gaze rested
upon a gorgeous tall man some 25 feet away. He suddenly realised that I was
looking at him and stared back, eventually smiling. Now bear in mind, it
was late at night and I was a bit merry – I looked away immediately, after
all, one doesn’t make eye contact at London railway stations.
After a few minutes, my train was still to be announced and I found myself
again, looking around the station. The tall gorgeous man was still looking
over at me and I burst out laughing. Upon which, he began to move. He
walked over to me and said, "This is too good an opportunity to miss" and
introduced himself.
We were talking so much, that I missed my train. But it turned out we were
on the same way home, so I got on the next train with him, although I got off
several stops earlier. It was enough time for us to get to know each other
and swap phone numbers. He called me the next night and although work
commitments meant that we couldn’t meet up for a fortnight, we eventually
made it out for a meal. He booked a table – I was so impressed at the
trouble he’d gone to (even remembering that I’d said I loved Italian food),
I was smitten.
After 7 months he moved into my flat. Then one night, on 28th September
2000, on the train home – the 1735 from Blackfriars – we were talking about
selling the flat and buying a house. At each station stop, he asked me what
I thought of each area. We got to Catford in South East London and he asked
me again, and I told him I really didn’t like it and didn’t want to live
there. With that, and in front of everyone on the packed commuter train
home, he said "well, perhaps you’ll remember it better now – will you marry
me?" and pulled a square cut Millennium Diamond ring out of his bag. I was
gob smacked – everyone around us was staring over the tops of there
newspapers and I just remember getting hotter and hotter and hotter.
I think I managed to squeak out "yes!" and then couldn’t speak until we got
off the train. I made him wait until we got home – I just had to be alone
with him, just the two of us – in our lounge, I made him ask me again. He
did so and put the ring on my finger – the most beautiful thing I have ever
owned.
I can’t believe how we met. I can’t believe that fate put us at that same
train station on that same night. Brian used to get the coach home but had
missed it that night by 2 minutes. From total stranger, to my future
husband. We’re getting married on 22nd June 2002 and I can’t wait to be his
wife. Forever and ever.
