Herself and I are looking for our first place together. We see each other every day and spend all our free time together anyway, so figure it’s probably time to take that next step and just see what happens. We’re hoping to move within the next month as the lease on her place runs out in early September, so we spent the best part of yesterday morning bothering the estate agents of North East London. With unrealistic demands, a laughable budget, and an impossible deadline, we were humoured, had our details taken, and then swiftly shown the door from at least 10 different offices. If anywhere was available, they told us, it was taken just before we walked in – of course. Not to worry, I said to Herself, if it comes to the worst then we can always spend a few weeks sleeping on the Embankment like a pair of down and outs. At least we’re having nice weather at the moment. I can start collecting cardboard boxes just in case. I like to think of these kinds of ideas as being romantic, she prefers to call them stupid.
Never to be disheartened, we decided on a change of scenery for the afternoon and hopped on a bus to Angel Islington for lunch. Fattened up on Mexican food and homemade lemonade, we set out on what was supposed to be a short walk through the neighbourhood, but actually turned into a 10 mile trek down through the city, eventually ending up at the London Docklands in Wapping. Along the way, we stopped for tea in the shadow of the mighty Saint Paul’s Cathedral, played hide and seek amongst the columns of the Old Port of London Authority Building on Tower Hill, and marvelled at the luxury yachts moored at the St. Katherine Dock. Like tourists in our home city, we took pictures of what we’ve seen a hundred times and wondered why we had never noticed these things before. We tried to remember the lyrics to songs by The Beatles and danced to tunes that we made up on the spot before racing each other back to her apartment and collapsing when we got in the door.
In the evening, we shared a bottle of Newcaste Brown Ale and talked about our future home together (wherever we might end up). By then, we were both so exhausted that most of what came out was half nonsense. When you’ve spent the whole day exploring the city together then you already know what the other person is thinking and words do little more than clutter the air between you. As we settled down for the night, I just kept quiet and concentrated on not ruining the moment by saying something too stupid. Now it’s Sunday and as she works on her Master’s dissertation, I’m typing the end of this story. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
What a fantastic post – I love days like that and as a Londonder, I know exactly what you mean about not noticing some of the amazing things in the city. Good luck with the home hunt!
“Like tourists in our home city, we took pictures of what we’ve seen a hundred times and wondered why we had never noticed these things before.”
For this sentence alone and, much more important, for what the sentences say about your conscious being in your world………I have appreciated this. It calls to mind something – perhaps a Joseph Campbell sentence which I will track down and send you later if it is pertinent.
As to the rest: there is always luck: the one mystery in our universe that cannot be bought nor bribed nor coaxed nor refused. That is what I wish for you both in the matter of housing and, of course, for all things important to you.
G’luck hatching a new home together. There are few folk to find compatible silence with. 🙂
Compatible silence – awesome phrase.
I did a similar thing in my home town (Southampton) recently. Unable to afford a holiday I used my home as a bed and breakfast (although I had to cook), and went to see museums that I hadn’t been in for a long time and walked around the mediaeval walls, much of which still survives. You rarely see your home town from that point of view.
“…words do little more than clutter the air between you.” Classic. That’s a keeper, as my mother would have said. Good luck on finding a place!
best of luck with finding a place. It seems to be the same here in Cape Town, too few homes for too many folk 🙂
Lovely reading. I have rediscovered the beautiful London and this was a true pleasure. Plus, I experience the beauty and purity of the love flowing in your relationship. This is awesome and I wish you the best. Keep inspiring us.
keep faith, agents always laugh, whatever the budget it just never seems to be enough!!!
Great post, I too love visiting the places that are just on my own door step. Taking time off and having a staycation can be just as therapeutic as going somewhere far away.
Good luck with the house hunting!
So flippin’ romantic (*smiles and wipes tear*). Beautifully written, and good luck on finding a place.
I remember a day like that. One day that moment will be far behind you, a wispy memory floating in the land of Where We Once Danced. But don’t ever forget it. Don’t ever forget to dance with her and remember lyrics and share silence. Where your belongings sit can change any day, but where your heart beats doesn’t have to.
Timely read as I will also be doing the same with my beau in the near future though I’m in the big apple. Would love to live in the heart of the city but the boroughs will be convenient. Good luck to you.
Found what it was that has the flavor of Joseph Campbell about it. In discussing his work on myths he said that he did not see where people say that we are all seeking a meaning for life (life has no meaning; it just is). He thought that what people are seeking is an experience of being alive so that life experiences on a purely physical plane will have inner resonances of being and reality so that we feel the rapture of life.
London and many other cities are wonderful contexts for this experience of being alive as in a rapture. Equally, if differently, with natural settings.
That’s such an interesting idea. Campbell sounds like a fascinating character, I will certainly seek out more of his work. It almost reminds me of Andrei Bolkonsky’s experience in War & Peace. How, on thinking himself critically injured at the battle of Austerlitz, he has a complete change in worldview. This sequence was masterfully rendered by Sergei Bondarchuk in his adaptation of the book. After a little searching, I was able to find a clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v4hNPAHfkw
I love being a home tourist! I lived in Leeds for the first 19 years of my life and I’ve boomeranged back and forth since then, but there are still so many places I’ve never visited in Leeds. Good luck with your upcoming house move when it comes 🙂
Romantic without being predictable. Warmed me. I wish I had your words. But until I gain those skills. Really lovely will have to do.