Falling in love with a stranger.

I was gobbling down my muesli when I first noticed you. As you sat down at the table in front of mine, you turned your head and smiled. Was there something in my hair? I suddenly felt self-conscious, on this hungover Sunday morning when I wasn't looking or feeling my best. The cute girl sitting across from you could have been your girlfriend, so I stopped admiring your hair and your sense of style and concentrated on the Sunday papers instead. I remember reading the social pages. Gossip and muesli always cures a foggy head. The next time I glanced up I recognised the relationship between you and the girl as that of brother and sister and I imagined what it would be like to hold your hand. When she went to the bathroom, you remained, looking around the room. I saw you glance coyly at me again. I finished my muesli and went to pay. I had better things to do with my day than fall in love with a stranger. As I was leaving you smiled at me. I smiled too, knowing that in this city of four million strangers I wouldn't see you again.

Sometimes it is all too easy to fall in love with a cute stranger we see. It's fun to imagine where we would go on a date, what movie we would watch on the couch together and even what we would put on the mix CDs to each other. All from that one moment of eye contact. I sometimes wish I had more confidence to do something about that spark, but I also like hiding behind my imagination and having faith in fate. If it's meant to be, it'll happen. But then, what if, while I'm waiting for fate to work in my favour, I miss out on the chance to meet someone awesome? 

Do you ever fall in love with a stranger? I do, most days.