Love Boat - Meeting Mr. Cruise!

You will have noticed a dearth of dates recently. Whilst I have a profile online,  and have had a few 'expressions of interest', I have not actively pursued the delights the Internet has to offer over recent weeks. I've thought about it, I've even logged on a couple of times but cannot face the inevitable onslaught of uninspiring, badly written, often inappropriate, messages.

There is a man...a 'real life' one ... who I have not yet written about, but who has featured intermittently in the background of my life  .... I think now is the time to introduce him. ...

Our friendship began two and half years ago in the most unlikely of locations - the QM2 - I was on a cruise with my mother; he with his father. I shall call him Mr. Cruise.

Arriving at Southampton's docks, I felt pretty good in a new outfit and recently acquired tan. Whilst checking in, I turned to find myself standing next to a gorgeous and very tall man who, unlike every single other good-looking male in the Ocean Cruise Terminal, did not appear to be surgically attached to a trophy blonde.

Ordinarily, when confronted with an attractive man the self-assurance, displayed in other areas of my life, deserts me; I fiddle with my hair, blush furiously, avert my gaze and am generally incapable of eye contact or coherent conversation.

However, for once something strange happened. As we progressed through the security scanners and were directed to different queues - I glanced over and, for the very first time in my life, caught a handsome stranger’s eye and smiled, instead of my usual modus operandi as detailed above.

I’m not sure what passed between us but, as I glided into the magical world that is the QM2, I wondered what his story might be….

My musings were short-lived as, after discovering the majesty and sheer size of the ship, any ideas I may have had about our paths crossing later in the voyage, were dashed.
So it was something of a surprise when, only an hour later, at muster station F - a location that will be permanently branded on my memory – he appeared again. Not only that, but he approached me and began chatting. 

‘You look very familiar … do I know you?’

‘Err ... I don’t think so,’ I blushed, whilst wishing vehemently that I did know him.

Despite his corny opening gambit, I still found myself grappling for something more intelligent to say, as I did not want this clichéd exchange to be the extent of our conversation.

'Unless you’re a policeman…?’ Oh my God – why did I say that...

‘Funny you should say that but, yes, I was for 15 years.’

‘Really,’ I spluttered.

The only certainty about this conversation was that I was being chatted up by a sexy man who was going to think I was a semi-literate moron with an unhealthy interest in men in uniform! So it was with surprise that, after exchanging further pleasantries, he asked if we’d be at the Sailaway Party later, before disappearing to find his father ... leaving me with the distinct and inexplicable impression that someone either extremely lovely or extremely dangerous ...but, definitely very important, had just walked into my life....to be continued...