Mind the Gap

The Mumble

' Mind the gap ', a phrase I met when I lived in London, used to warn persons traveling via the tube of the gap between the platform and the train. Colloquially, it is also used to describe a bloke who is broke..he uses the train as the main means of transport, not able to hail a taxi. But I digress. For the purposes of this entry, I use it to describe what is about to happen to a friend of mine who has just decided to date a girl significantly younger than himself...SIGNIFICANTLY. If he doesn't 'mind the gap', no doubt he will fall into that black hole and cause serious injury to himself.

She is mature beyond her years (of course), we like the same things (envision a short list), she makes me happy (what is happiness to you?!), on and on it goes...


THE GRUMBLE

Who am I to say it will not last? Life is full of surprises and everyone has the right to chart their own course.....yada, yada, yada. It's gonna end in tears! There, I've said it! As they grow together, she will come into her own at the same time he becomes a grandfather figure. Right now, there is no danger of that happening since he is far from looking and behaving like a granddad but, you get the idea. So, unless she has 'daddy issues', she is pretty much gone.

ENDING UNKNOWN

Given the vast age difference, I know there's a good chance it may not end well, he says. I am well aware and my eyes are wide open, he pleads. Sigh.

So there, men are always optimistic, particularly when it concerns younger women. Or maybe, practical. Sure, happiness, even for a short time is better than none at all. But why run into the on-coming train if you see it coming?

I have to say, I admire it. Kinda. After all, to jump takes guts.

There's snow in London!

THE MUMBLE

So, there's proper snow in London! Which lucky denizen won THAT bet?!!

I felt a sad tinge when I learned about the snowfall in London and although I eagerly engaged my social media outlets to share it with some members of my family living there, I felt regret having not experienced proper snow when I lived there as a Uni student. Knowing how wonderfully fanatical Londoners can be, I instantly conjured up exciting images in my mind of the sights and sounds in the snowy city. No, I did not want to google it! I wanted to rely on my instincts of how Londoners would have reacted at the first sight of proper snow....picture this:

witty, quirk hand-written signs in tube stations signaling the arrival of snow (it actually happened!); business suits filling the pubs - standing room only - engaging in animated, sarcastic-free (gasp) conversations about the snowy weather; busy bookies collecting on bets (who knew right?!!)......


THE GRUMBLE

If you assumed that I've never experienced snow in London, you'd be wrong! I've had the experience, but not PROPER snow...it was snow dust, actually (sigh). Besides, University exams took away any excitement that I should have been allowed to feel at the time. I sound bitter don't I? But to fully understand where I'm coming from, you'd need to understand the importance of snow in London. London NEVER gets proper snow! NEVER! I'm surprised that a national holiday hasn't been declared!


THE SAD ENDING

I miss the place. I haven't been back in a while; in recent years, I've used my vacation time to see other interesting parts of the world. Now, if I can only get the image of that roast beef sandwich courtesy of Marks & Sparks out of my mind!