It didn’t happen at a railway station, on a train or an aeroplane (although they are perfectly romantic meeting places); it happened at a kiosk which was selling cups of tea and coffee, and it was nonetheless exciting and romantic because the kiosk was in the marketplace of the bustling Devon town of Newton Abbot – in fact, that made the chance meeting even more unlikely and therefore more surprising and wonderful…

They had arrived at the counter at exactly the same time. Their eyes met and they smiled. She knew in that moment that there was something special between them. His face, though unknown to her, seemed familiar, warm and welcoming; he seemed to be neither young nor old – he was just himself. Looking into his eyes, she felt the thrill of his attraction for her. It was mutual. Things like this don’t happen very often – hardly ever – not as strong anyway. She had felt this way only twice before, not including her husband.

“Make that two cups of tea please,” she said to the man behind the counter, then turning to her soulmate, “I take it you will have a cup of tea.”

“How kind of you!” he was thankful that she had allowed the opening. “Let’s have our teas together.”

They found a table for two in the shade and spent an hour over their cups of tea. She was not altogether surprised to find that he knew the village of her early childhood and the area where she had grown up – they had so much in common.

At last they had to part and she gave him her telephone number.

“Before I go I must kiss you,” he said, taking her face in his hands and placing his lips on hers and kissing her meaningfully, if not passionately.

~~~~~

“Are you going to see him again?” I asked intrigued.

“Oh, I don’t know. In one way I hope so but in another I’m afraid to. I’m worried it won’t be the same if I see him again,” she said.

“She” is my ninety-three year old mum and “he” is Brian, an eighty-two year old widower!