Bank Holiday Weekend - Friday - Foyles Leaving do

I had a very busy Bank holiday weekend planned. Friday was a friend's leaving do, Saturday was the London Expo, Sunday was the Beltane Bash and Monday my other half was racing his stockcar. I managed the leaving do and Beltane Bash and had a really good time at both.

Friday afternoon almost had a bumpy start. As I walked to the station a man gave me his travelcard saying  he was done with it and I could use it anywhere. I thanked him very much and got to the platform as my train was pulling in. I thought that was a really good start to the day but that I should have a good look at the ticket before I got on. It looked as though it might only cover Zones 2-6. I could have chanced it but decided it wasn't worth stressing over possibly having the wrong ticket and went back and bought what I knew to be a right one. Turned out he had given me one for 2-6. I left it in the ticket machine in the hopes someone else might still benefit from it. And chose to believe the man was trying to be nice and was unaware of the grief he almost caused me at Charing Cross.

So anyway, armed with my correct ticket I went up London and popped into a few of the shops I miss working near. There was a particularly lovely lady working in Lush, she called me petal. ^_^ I found London unusually polite and had very little trouble navigating my way along the streets. I meant to buy an imported Cheri Huber book from Watkins but got distracted and forgot. Not too bad a thing as I have soo many books to read. I also managed to pop in to forbidden planet and have a quick walk round. Nothing in particular caught my eye.

Then I returned to Foyles. I worked there for two very long years, and I was desperate to leave after the first one. Between the unpleasant customers, management and workings hours it was a pretty horrible place to work. It's saving grace was the books and, most importantly, the wonderful people that work there. A varied bunch including some very talented, intelligent people, some of them from all over the world. I don't want to talk about the shop, I think I've repressed some of my memories of it and don't fancy dredging them up. I was there to see friends.

I was feeling a bit sick when I got there but it wasn't long before I forgot all about it. I said hello to a few friends that weren't going the drink later. I found my friend who designated to look after me for the evening. I felt a bit bad about putting someone in that position but I don't think she minded and it wasn't like I needed propping up or anything I felt better when we got the pub or bar, I'm not sure I know the difference, and I settled myself down until it was time to leave. I avoided the whole awkward round buying thing on account on no one having much money. I confused the guy behind the bar when I asked him what he had that was non-alcoholic. Not much was the answer so I bought a diet coke I didn't really want. The up side of this was that it easily lasted the 3 1/2 hours I was there.

I sat at a table the whole time mostly with my friend and two current Foyles people I didn't know but who were lovely. I hope they didn't mind me sitting with them for so long but I decided to stay in one spot. We were in a corner and not next to any smokers which was good as it was underground with little airflow. Roll on July 1st. The smoking ban will make any occasional pub trip I make a little less uncomfortable. The friend that was leaving sang a few songs which was a lovely touch that made the night more memorable. She has a lovely voice and I hope she does go for the classes she wants so she can learn breathing techniques and give her a bit more practice and confidence.

I was worried that my brain fog would hit and I'd come across an idiot but it wasn't that bad. I think because I was only talking about things I already knew or have said before. One of the ladies liked manga and anime so that was good, for me at least. I wasn't required to assemble any new thoughts in my head. So that made me feel better. I wasn't left going over all the wrong things I said afterwards. There was only two and I've forgotten one so that couldn't have been that bad. I did say lots of people came to my leaving at a time that would have sounded like I was boasting. I meant to say  there were people there I had never really had a proper conversation with until my leaving do. Or something like that. Not the worst thing in the world. CFS did come up and I really did try to keep my answers short but I don't know how successful I was at that.

I had a great time and many hugs, and a wedding invite I'm very excited about. It was really good to see old friends again and socialize with new people in the way I believe normal non-social phobic people do. I hope to do this more often. I was really happy on the train home. I did a tiny bit of shopping, had a lovely evening, the train was safely filled with a range of non threatening people and I was soon to see my other half as he was picking me up from the station. ^_^

It was while I was waiting for my over stimulated brain to calm down so I could sleep, that I decided not to go to the Expo the next day. I was going to go early in the morning on my own but and I didn't feel the need to go out again. I didn't really have the money and window shopping is much more fun with someone else. This does mean I missed Christopher Lee singing from his new album abut I think I can deal with that. There is a Japanese Expo in July I think so I might try for that one instead.