The Single Diaries: Prince of Persia

(Continuation of previous post...)

There he was with his elbows leaning by the stretching machine’s handles giving me the full benefit of his handsome face when I remembered I just finished work out. I. JUST. FINISHED. WORK. OUT. Meaning, I’m a MESS! My hair is tied up in a ponytail and any trace of make-up applied earlier in the day is prolly wiped out by the sweat from the dance exercise. Yay!

Perhaps under ideal circumstances, the proper reply would have to be a snobbish “I’m sorry, who are you?” After all, he was just some random stranger who broke my heart right?? But no. All I could feel in that moment was --- happiness. I was happy to see him again. Actually, call it the understatement of the year. I was screaming my head off!! In spite of myself, I can’t help but smile back. After all given my current state, it could only be my saving grace. Then sweetly I replied,

“Of course I haven’t.”

Which prompted him to dare me and say his name. Yay!

Clearly, this guy doesn’t have an iota who he’s challenging. Doesn’t he know, I have this thing for memorizing? I don’t know but my brain is just quick to committing things to its memory like that. I remember when I was in high school, them classmates refer to me as “memoria fotografica” coz I can recite some back to back page of the poem Florante at Laura. In all its profound Tagalog word for word, mind you. So, just like in exams, I tried to associate his name with something familiar.  This technique always work for me before. I was trying to dig into my mental address book but clearly I've forgotten about him.  Memoria fotografica didn’t exactly help me at this moment. Well, for some seconds only.

I gave him a sheepish smile and started apologizing,

“I’m sorry……..

When something inside my brain clicked as I try to recall it from his accent......

"Oh wait, I remember it now.  Your name is Albert."

His eyes widened like saucers the moment I pronounced his name. Then I gave him a grin and raised my right eyebrow. Hmm, looking back, what did I do that for?? To attract him perhaps?? Yikes!! Haha!!

Okay. I tried to explain to him why I remembered it easily. Something about the way he enunciated his name before sounded English although he look Turkish to me. Then came a pregnant pause as I hear this voice in my head. Stop, stop, stop. Stop it KC, you’re just seconds away from babbling and before you knew it you’re already revealing that you waited for him by the lobby!!! Why do you have to explain it in the first place??? Thankfully I managed.

Now it was my turn to challenge him. Hahaha!!! Oh boy, I was enjoying this moment. I wonder how he could produce names from thin air just like that.  Well he tried thinking for some seconds.  Finally when he appeard beat and not wanting to torture anymore the poor chap, I announced why I was certain he wouldn’t be able to recall.

But he countered it with an offer. Saying what if, he was able to give me my name, I’ll have to go out for a coffee with him. Hmmmmmmmmm, subtle!!

For some moments, I allowed myself to imagine he was some avid stalker of mine (maybe after our first meeting he started investigating who I am, hahahaha!!!). But all these thoughts vanished when I saw him gazing intently into my eyes as if some clues about my name can be found in there. Oh geese, it was a good thing I’m sitting down by the stretching machine. That gaze was too much to handle. Nervously, I blurted out.

“What are you now a psychic?”

Then he announced,

“Of course I know your name.” Pause for effect. "You should be named Angel.”

Hooooookay. You had to admire the guts for coming out with this shtik.  LOL!  And since nobody called me an angel before, I have to admit it was totally working. Yay!!!

He is Persian. Strangely when I heard it, two words came to my mind – Kebab and Arya. Coz I’m dying to try that restau I’ve been hearing good feedback from friends. Yays, I must be hungry that time. When I learned that he is a dentistry student, I reminded myself to stop smiling broadly in the next conversations. For all I know, he could be analyzing my braces already (which according to the dentist can already be removed by next month, yey!). This is because I myself had the chance to peer closely at his. His set of teeth is perfect; he is definitely fit for the profession. He spent some of his life in Bangalore and Boston and I learned about his brother in there who’s a successful orthodontist. I made a follow-up question about his interest in working there,

“Yes I intend to. Unless I get married here.”

Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god. Key word, key word, key word. I tightened my grip on the machine’s handle.

During the next lull of the conversation, he asked if he had lost the chance for the coffee and I panicked coz again it’s one of those oh-no-i'm-closing-the-gym-tonight. Of all time!! But thankfully, he didn’t give any hints that it’s necessary after the work out. Of course it’s already late. Phew!

On my way home that night, I already know what to do.  I was already visualizing a sheet of paper with the words in it Research: Persian Men.  With double underlines in it.  =P