Wow, do I have a story to tell this time - forget all the crap about how it goes at the office, even though there was plenty more where that came from. I'll start today's story off at the fact that I've been drawing again.
That's right, I've been focussing on The Grim DotCom again, and in fact I've done most of my drawing in the train the past two days. I've got four episodes fully drawn, which (after scanning, editing, colouring and lettering) constitute a month's worth of episodes. Not too bad for two days - the only two reasons I'm not drawing more right now is that one, I need to do some research before I continue into the next two episode because a rather special character will be introduced (and besides, I kinda want to scan etc. these and put them online so I'll have comics lined up until halfway FEBRuary instead of Jan) and two, as I said, I've got a story to tell.
So I'd just finished the fourth page in the train when it arrived in 's Hertogenbosch where I have to transfer to get back to Tilburg. After a few minutes the train arrived, and as I walked to the first coupé (I exit on station Tilburg-West and the first coupé always stops right near the steps, so it saves me a little bit of time and walking) I walked past this girl who was sitting inside. She had a pretty interesting look in her eyes, not quite focussed but not completely dreamy either. Cute, definately. She looked quite interesting as well, so the thought crossed my mind to get one of the three seats near her, as I walked into the coupé. Of course I figured with my luck, three people would steal those seats rightaway before I could get to them, but amazingly enough, nobody sat down there. So I did - of course.
My original plan was to first draw some more (I have an 'org chart' to do for the revision of The Grim DotCom's 'about' page) and then perhaps start a bit of a conversation with her. I took out my drawing folder and scribbled down 'The Grim DotCom' and immediately a voice spoke from behind me: "So, you're still drawing comics, huh ?"
I'm thinking "Oh fuck, who's THIS ??"
Turning around I did recognize him, but anyone who knows me well enough can guess that after some seven years of not seeing this fella, I semi-forgot his name. "Rob, right ?" "Rolf, close enough." "Riiiiight... how are you ?"
We exchanged a few sentences like that before I figured, ohwell, forget drawing or talking to that girl, I guess I'm screwed now anyway. So I told him to change seats, and sit in the group of seats next to ours, to make talking a bit easier. As he moved there, the girl voluntarily cleared her bag off the seat across from me so he could go sit there - and had a bit of a mysterious smile on her face.
So we chatted for the remainder of the ride, he's working in the medical field now, and he was bold enough to enquire what I'd been doing the past six years. Yeah - that's definately a 20 minute story, even if I stick to the most minute summary version of it. Meanwhile she keeps grinning from time to time (which a semi-empath like me can't help noticing).
We arrive in Tilburg, and Rolf asks if I was still planning to move out of Holland and to the States (as I was around the time he knew me). I said no, Tilburg's definately my home now, and went on a small summary of what's so wonderful about this city. Of course I also brought up the bar Cul de Sac and all its wonderful characteristics. Again, she smiled, which gave me a clue she might actually know the place.
So we get out at West, and so does she. Course, I still figure I'm screwed and never ever get the chance to talk to her again. So Rolf bids me farewell and heads off to the bicycle stands as I make my way to the steps to the bus stop. Barely even noticed she was walking right along side of me. Then she suddenly says "I'm sorry, but I just HAVE to say this. The contrast between him and you was hilarious !"
To cut the rest of the story a bit short (sorry, people *grin*) she and I talked for a while until my bus arrived. Turns out she's a Philosophy student in Nijmegen (Nijmegen Uni's philosophy faculty always shared some of its resources and professors with Tilburg Uni and vice versa, so "small world" applies here), she's quite interesting, outspoken, seems to have a great sense of humour (and observation), so I said "would you mind if we continued this discussion sometime perhaps ?"
"Sure - I go to the Cul quite regularly too, so I'm sure I'll see you there !" --- mind you, without any empathic or other signal that indicates an "I wonder if that's ok with my boyfriend"-kind of hesitation.
Somehow I don't think this'll be the end of this story. In any case, it sure made my day, and as I left the bus around the corner of my house, I noticed the bright full moon and grinned. Then I realised she never told me her name and grinned wider. I may no longer be able to fall in love anymore, but I still have it.
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