Memory: 2012-12-12

12 - 12 - 12

I know everyone has mentioned the singularity of the date 2012-12-12 at least once today, but I haven't, so there - it will be the last time in this millennium that we will see the date align.

I didn't set out to make this day any different than any other day. It just happened to turn out that way.
Our dinner just happened to fall on this day.

Earlier this week, I had sent him an email asking if he wanted to try the new restaurant down my street. Half because it has been awhile since he's joined us for lunch, and half because, well, I wanted to see him.
Now that I think of it, it had only been 3 or 4 days since he had last joined us for lunch, and that's including the weekend. Anyhow, he originally suggested Wednesday, but I was going to go to the mall with CY so I said Thursday, but realized we might need to help set up for the Christmas party on Friday. So 2012-12-12 it is.

Although I know I'll see him tonight, my spirit couldn't help but lighten when I heard the familiar rustle of his big winter jacket. Everyone had lunch and CY was no where to be seen, so it was just the two of us. It was very cold out, but we were in a comfortable conversation, and the grey ice and snow didn't look as bleak anymore. I know I should decommission this feeling, or the chemical that makes me feel this way, but if it is no longer hurting me, maybe I can keep it up just a little longer?

When we came back to the cafeteria, KN joined us. I didn't tell him I did not ask anyone else to dinner, so I was half expecting B to ask him to join. He didn't. Instead, we made fun of how his name was entered in the Bank's address book, and then he made fun of how he and AU used to make fun of CY's chinese name. He then spent a few minutes squinting and trying to remember mine. I kept shaking my head to discourage him, but he remembered it. He then proceed to explain to KN why he thinks it's crazy that I had a life before I came to Canada. He said my love for meat and hockey had him convinced that I had been born in Canada. KN was amused too, but not as much as B.

At 16:56, he emailed me asking if I wanted to go. I just got some unnecessary work dumped on me, so I wasn't in the best mood and said yes, I am ready to get out of here. He said same for him too, and he'll most likely have to come back to do it. Few minutes later, he came up to my floor. As I get ready to go, he roamed the floor and talked to HX and KN. Again, I had it in my mind that if he asked me if anyone else was coming along, I would say I didn't ask anyone so it's up to him to let people know. When it took him more than 5 minutes to get onto my floor, I half expected CY to come up as well. She did not though, which means he did not drop by to ask if she wanted to join us. He also did not ask KN and HX either. Instead, he asked if they wanted him to bring anything back for them.

When we stepped out of the Bank, white fluffy Christmas-y snow fell gently. It was still cold, but it was pretty, and the company I was with made everything else fade gently into the background.
There was a split moment during lunch where I was concerned that our lunch together might mean that we will run out of topics tonight, but that problem never actually materialize. We kept on talking through dinner, even when he kept which put me in quite a pleasant mood. It didn't hurt that the food was actually decent too.

When we were about to leave, we each had a box for leftovers. When the cashier asked if we wanted bags for them, we both said no, but I told him that he should get one. He has a longer walk back.
He paused, then agreed. Good call. He gave me a face that said it's good to have someone look out for him.
And I thought to myself: you don't even know half of it.