Charity Begins!

And on the guest list was a name familiar to me.

A certain Miss Jardine. I know you fellas wouldn't have any inkling who she is but roughly two years back, I was given a name and number by certain hopeful matchmaking colleagues.

Being an obliging fella, I figured it wouldn't hurt to make an extra friend or two. Despite the fact that I never actually met her ( serious scheduling snafus on both sides ), suffice to say she turned out to be quite nice to talk to! Far from the saintly untouchable paragon that she'd been painted as, Miss Jardine was actually amazingly approachable.

At least that's what I gathered from her messages :)


Umm... hi... I'm Paul?
Quite a relief she turned out to be a friendly sport since I was half expecting Miss Jardine to blow me off! Like me, I'm sure the unfortunate career gal found it equally embarassing to be matchmade to a doddering doctor by her kindly ( though meddling ) aunt.

That was all two years back of course. And then I saw her name printed on the party guest list - and later learned that she was a bosom buddy of Dramatic Dior!

Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.

Guess fate really had brought us together - and who was I to deny fate - so I steeled myself to introduce myself! And you know how hard it can be for an antisocial fella like me ( blame it on sheer bashfulness! ) to put on a smile and give my hand in greeting. Almost like pulling teeth, I tell ya.

Not knowing that the elusive Miss Jardine had elected to make a quick getaway instead. Making her excuses early on in the party, she hastily rabbited from the place. But of course fate stepped in - like in any reputable Korean drama - and our automobiles met at a narrow impasse in the lane heading to the party while the rain gently pitter-pattered around us.

Seriously. I could not be making this up.

We both glanced at each other - Miss Jardine from her higher vantage point in her 4WD - and went in separate directions. All very Thomas Hardy, I tell you.