Random Connection #2

Not that this was really only my second random connection, but it was a two-day in a row thing so there you go. No over-generalizations, please. I'm sure you are all well aware of my potential for random encounters.

Friday was a weird day and I have decided there was something in the stars dictating general skittishness. I was compelled to go into St. Stephen's Green to read rather than sit in the 1937 Postgraduate Reading Room which was easy to do because I walk past it on my way to campus and I had reading with me. So I end up sitting on a bench under a holly bush (it seemed appropriate as it's already Christmas Shopping Season over here as we don't have Thanksgiving for an added barrier).

This guy is heading for the adjoining bench and, when I make eye contact, asks if it's okay for him to sit there. Of course I say it's fine; he wasn't creepy. And then he asks if he can smoke and, again, I say it's fine. We end up chatting and having an amazing almost hour-long conversation about life and depression and drugs and compassion and economic development, but mostly about how amazing and difficult it is to really be present with other people especially with the added challenge of a chemical imbalance or history of mental illness. It was great. I almost asked for his mobile number, but I figured I would leave it to fate. He lives in Dublin as well. I figure there's a good enough chance that we will bump into one another again and I didn't want to taint the experience by pretending like a friendship would develop out of that one conversation. But I would like to see him again. I just like the idea of a friendly not-quite-randomite out there.

He offered his hand as I was leaving to meet Gabry. I shook his hand and then said I'd like to give him a hug. So we hugged. It was a nice hour.