British BART guy

I know I've been writing a lot of about guys from my past, but it's so much FUN! After some time has passed, I like to remember the "good stuff" because the good stuff is really all that's worth holding onto.
Plus, everyone loves this story.

Coming home from the Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival a few years back, I crammed into the BART to the East Bay. The car was packed because a football game had just let out so I was smooshed, standing against one of the car doorways and had no choice but to look forward at this guy in front of me - he was looking at me. Small talk, he asked what I do, got around to telling him my family is from Hawaii, he's here from England, an IT guy at a company on the penninsula, always wanted to live in the Bay Area, la la la, nice to meet you, here's my stop as he was going on further on the line. Thought nothing of it, kind of cute with his British accent.

Many months later, I was riding the BART back home to Oakland again and the train stopped at 12th Street in downtown Oakland to pick up more passengers. I was sitting near the window closest to the station side. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a dark-haired guy waiting for the train, he got on and sat behind me, then he switched seats in front of me, I never looked at him directly. "Excuuuse me, is your name Maile?" Wh-what? (I'm always sort of in my own little world) Jogging my memory, he remembered what I did for a living and asked if I'd been back to Hawaii to visit with my family. Click. Excited exchange of numbers, wonderment at the chances of seeing each other again on the BART, of all the trains, of all the times, of all the cars, other passengers were smiling at us - hee hee. I exited and skipped to my car.

Our 1st date was great fun, Middle-eastern food, bellydancers, flowing conversation, things in common like we both wanted to learn how to fly, although he wanted to fly "heleecoptahs" as he Britishly pronounced it - cute. He seemed like a positive-thinker, full of life, regal, eyes on the prize as he was trying to make a name for himself as an IT god, things were going well. We talked, emailed, chatted, whatnot, then by our 2nd date, his real self came out - rather negative, aloof, full of himself, unrelateable, must be that English thing...He took me to Greens, a Zagat-rated vegatarian restaurant, he was a vegetarian - hmm...if a man can't enjoy a hamburger once in awhile, could I handle that, me being the foodie that I am. Then he started capping on Americans, our perspectives, our way of life...to an American, I capped back, blocked out what I said. Nope, uh uh, there were other signs that I should fade out, so I did, but it was quite an experience, a story I had to release.

I hope he's doing well, wonder if he's still here. So when I see a "heleecoptah" outside my window, I can't help but wonder if that could be the British BART guy. I smile and carry on. Go well, my friend (c'mon, say it with a Brit accent!).