HOW FRIENDSHIPS ARE BORN

HOW FRIENDSHIPS ARE BORN

I used to consider myself garrulous which I thought meant friendly and talkative. One day I met a smart man who told me garrulous meant speaking without a purpose, i.e. rambling and that he thought I must mean gregarious…and so, from such humble beginnings, a friendship is born.

Last autumn, as I often do, I stopped at a coffee shop for a coffee. This one was a Starbucks located in a large book store. With many tables taken, I asked if I might share a table with a young Japanese girl. From such small beginnings, a friendship is born.

This young Woman was in Canada (for a year) in order to learn to speak English. She had beautiful long hair and lovely long eyelashes. She was a tiny person. She had, I learned, a professional career in Japan, was unmarried and a very fine fashion sense. She was what I would consider ‘cute as a button’, friendly and also very nice. Like most younger people she was glued to her text messages, something I have come to expect as inevitable among most young people.

Since it was already Autumn or Fall as many of us call it, I decided to warn her that she could expect some pretty cold weather and should prepare a bit. When she asked when, I presciently said, ‘any time now’. Consequently, on our next meeting I brought gloves, a head band, a wool scarf, a warm pea jacket (far too big for her, although too small for me) and after some traipsing around, showed her what kind of leotard and boots and warm socks she would probably need.

Once she realized leotards were tights and UGG’s were worn here in winter and she already had a scarf and a warmer coat, she was soon dressed more warmly. This turned out to be not a minute too soon for the worst winter in 50 years arrived soon after.

I am pleased to tell you though, that being young and cute and stylish, she never gave up her lace shorts, even when she had to wear them over tights.

I did not realize, until much later that she really would go on her dream trip to Machu Picchu and to see the salt lake in Bolivia before she returned home to Japan. I also did not realize that my initial conversations with her were harder for her to understand than I thought.

Life is a funny old thing, isn’t it? It takes you to places you never imagined you would go and brings people into your life, you normally would not expect to meet.

As I mentioned earlier, being open to new experiences and new people, holds the possibility of a rich, interesting and varied life.

The letter from my Japanese friend which I received last week was a big surprise. It was well written in English. It was neatly printed and included a ‘lucky’ charm she had made for me. I am delighted to have a real letter to add to the email message memories I have of my friend.

I enjoy the texts we send each other and other news about her life back home. She sent photos several times, since she returned home in March, to me and another friend I introduced her too. We will go on Skype soon I hope and let her practice English a bit on us when we talk, since she says she is not getting enough practice back home.

Maybe we will see each other again…Paris next year is a possibility for the 2 of us from Toronto to meet our lovely new friend from Japan. In the meantime, I smile as I think of how I made a new friend one day when I stopped for a break in a crowded coffee shop.