The Road Less Traveled

After finally sorting out where he knew me from and getting some chit-chat out of the way, he started his life story with me with the following words:

"I told my mother I am getting divorced again, and her response was - 'don't worry my son you will find your soul-mate'".  

And did the caution lights start flickering violently in my head when I hear him say this.  'Again' – what does he mean 'again'? Turns out that he is married for the second time.  So I immediately say "Please do not tell me your wife is to be blamed."

"No, it is all my fault, I am to be blamed" he says. 

Well that is very brave of him to admit I think to myself.  Usually guys are wanting to look for sympathy from a "potential victim".   But here was a man willing to admit he is the one in the wrong.  This was the start of our conversation on the evening we met in the pub when I should have gone straight home. 

I decided not to go into detail as to why he was to be blamed, as it was not my business, after all we were just having an informal conversation in the midst of a couple of glasses and the regular patrons.  Me drinking lemonade he and his whiskey or was it beer or perhaps it was both – I don't quite remember that part.  Anyway I decided that the less I knew about his issues, the less I would have to worry about, especially when I had my own to deal with.

We sat chatting for quite some time in the pub and soon someone else joined our informal gathering and added to the conversation.  She was familiar to both of us and it suddenly dawned on me that out of all the times that I visited this pub, not once did I run into him.  I guess everything has a time and place for a new start.

If I look back on that evening almost two years ago then I guess just like every other occasion that I have met up with someone in the strangest of circumstances, then there has been a reason for our meeting. 

After that unexpected meeting, I heard from him the very next day, just to share with me what he was up to for the day.  I was quite surprised to hear so soon from him, and as a matter of fact did not expect to hear from him at all, and he continued to communicate with me every day after that.

It did not take him long to come knocking at my door and the uncomfortable feeling I had on the first evening he took me home, was no longer there.  This time I welcomed him in and every occasion after that.

Every sense (all six of them), even the ones I don't know, were telling me that this was the one who I should not let get away, but my seventh sense was telling me remember your purpose.

And so began our journey along a very hard and unpredictable road.