The Meeting

“I’m going to do this,- she repeated to herself, - I can do this. Everything is going to be alright.”

She was rushing to the meeting in the park, whit a luggage of all her phobias. Therefore, this meeting was to be considered as an accomplishment. Stella was afraid of everything – from closed spaces, spiders, silence, from places, where lots of people was gathering, from closed doors… Yes, you herd right – from closed doors. If she saw any, she just stood there for a while till she either ways were enough, or someone opened the doors for her. She could not push herself to open the doors. Just, couldn’t.

How was she getting in her own apartment? Well, she lived in the house whit a porter, who, seeing how Stella is standing behind the doors, simply opened it for her. To apartment she went using lift and, what a surprise – lift went straight to it. It was a bit costly place to live, but convenient. Also, there where no doors inside the flat. Even not to the bathroom. She was glad, that parents left her quite a fortune and successful money management and investments only made that fortune bigger.

She rarely left the house and for shopping, preferred only that store which had a sliding door. Usually, she went early in the morning or later in the evening, when stores weren’t flooded whit people. In her free time, she enjoyed long walks in quiet places where she rarely saw any other people. She was avoiding them. You could call her a bit strange or weird, but she enjoyed her life, the way it was and didn’t bothered herself whit whatever was that others were thinking.

This meeting or... date organized by her best friend, Ruth. She knew exactly what kind of weirdo Stella was and didn’t care – they still were best friends. Ruth thought that her friend is a bit to lonely and to bored. And she was right – no matter all the little weirdness, Stella still had her sense of humour and taste for adventures. So, when Ruth called and told, that one of her old friends, named Greg, when herd about Stella, got curious about her and wanted to meet her, so Ruth offered to organize everything, which she did, and Stella agreed. Why not? I mean, like she had something better to do, right?

Stella had plenty of dates in her lifetime, but none of them led to any serous relationships. Not like that was what she was looking for but... She liked to be alone, but wasn’t it always better to be alone, together? Whit that special someone? Still, she wasn’t desperate for a man, so all those guys, who went for her for all the wrong reasons, rarely had a chance for a second date. She was rich and beautiful – two good qualities for men to forget about her strangeness. And she cut those attempts short – better be alone, then be a fool.

There was the meeting spot and Stella glance around, searching for a Greg. Boy, guy had a sense of humour – he was waving to her from the tick bushes, so she headed to his direction.

What? She needed to be more careful when meeting a stranger in secluded place, like this one? Yes, she needed, but Ruth had guaranteed her safety – she knew the guy since childhood. Besides, Ruth knew where the meeting was going to be and time and date when it is going to be. And she was waiting for a call from Stella, to make sure that everything went fine, and she got home safe. It was very unlikely, that Greg will make any unwanted attempts. Still, she had a pepper spry in her handbag, panic button and she was a boxer. Not professional, of course, but it was enough to defend herself in bad situations. So, she was sure about getting home safe.

-Hi, - Stella said, once she reached the bushes, behind which, Greg had laid out a picnic blanket. -I hope, I didn’t make you wait for me to long.-

-Hello, of course not, - he smiled back. -Just a few minutes. -

He helped her to get trough the bushes.

-I was waving in case, if you won’t find me. -

-How very thoughtful of you, - Stella said and sat down on the corner of the picnic blanket.

He was very handsome man. Tall, athletic man, whit dark brown hairs and blue eyes. Just like Ruth predicted – he was her type of man.

-It must feel strange, to meet up whit someone like that, - she started. -I mean, this is not typical spot for a first... date. -

She felt herself a bit guilty for not being able to meet whit him in a restaurant or any other place normal people would meet.

-Well, I find it quite interesting, to be fear, - Greg said and pulled out from picnic basket two wine glass. -I am sorry, I am not a wine man, but I was advised this vine... Merlot. How about a glass of Merlot? -

-Yes, I would like one, - Stella smiled at him. -I’m not a vine person myself, but I think, for this occasion it’s a good choice! -

Greg poured vine and gave one glass to Stella.

-I must admit, - Greg started, -When Ruth told me about you, I imagined someone more like a lady from the par, from the movie Home Alone 2.-

-Wow, I hear this kind of comparison for the first time, - Stella laughed. -So, how is it? Your intuition didn’t fail you? -

-Oh, it did I’m afraid… You’re more attractive, then I could have imagined. -

She felt her neck was getting a bit hot, so she looked away.

-Is it strange that everyone thinks of you being this weird person? -

-I am a weird person. I don’t drive a car, because I can’t open the doors by myself. I go to the shop as early as its possible just to don’t meet other people, because I’m scared from crowded places. I don’t go anywhere for the same reason. And those are just a few from all the weird things about me, - she said. -I live in a house without doors. I haven’t used my balcony, since I moved in – I replaced doors whit a window. -

-Well, that’s a shame – I like siting on a balcony and enjoy, - Greg laughed.

Stella thought of him, being a bit weird as well. All of this was weird. Who in his right mind would agree on the meeting like this one?

-How long do you know Ruth? - Greg asked.

-Since university. We were living together a came along as a good friend. All these years. -

-University? How is that, since you’re afraid of crowds? -

-That was the time, when I was normal, like any other person. Stress… it changed my life a lot. To much of it, and I can’t coupe. -

-You’re saying, normal, like everyone else, but I think, that normality depends on point of view, - Greg said. -What is normal for one, may not be normal for other. Point of view. -

-Honestly, I think of myself as of a normal person, but my counsellor would not agree whit me on this one! -

-Aren’t you getting bored from being alone all the time, without possibility to do what is normal for everyone else? -

-There are times, when I get upset about it, - she admitted. -But then I go for a long walk, alone... it helps. Fresh air and silence. I like it. My relatives have a guest house deep in the countryside, so I visit them when I can. One of the guest houses, they constructed for my need, so its my save place. Nature and silence. Every time when I get enough of these city noises and the rush, I go there. Is this is seeming strange to you? -

-What can be strange in love for nature and its beauty? No, I find it very normal. -

-When I started to develop all this issues, my friend took me to some healer or psychic and she shared her thoughts about my condition. -

-Which is? -

-City. It’s not a good place for me do live in. too loud, to fast, to big and colourful. Very annoying and stressful. -

-Hm... interesting. What do you think about it? -

-When I’m visiting my relatives, I just told you about, I feel like I really could live there forever, but my work… So, I must come back, - Stella sad, whit little sadness in her voice. -What is it, that you do? -

-I’m an engineer, - Greg admitted. -But my passion is traveling. I like to go to ancient civilizations sites, just sit down somewhere and look all day on things they build, just trying to imagine how they did it, what it took for them to achieve such a greatness, which we cannot repeat today. Sometimes I totally lose my time, forgetting, that I can’t stay there like that forever. -

-That’s sounds... interesting, - Stella said. -And others... don’t find it... strange? -

-I’m sure they do, but I don’t care, - he said and they both laughed.

They drink all the vine and ate all the food, brought by Greg. The date went so well, that Stella let Greg to accompany her back home. She invited him in, to her apartment without doors, so they both could start planning second and third at even fourth date.