Miriam

I was reading the Economist when some one poked me from behind. I turned my back around and was nothing less than in awe to see a beautiful and rather petite girl standing there, grinning cheekily from ear to ear.

"Hey.. long time no see.." that's all I had to say. I was still a tad too shy to even shake hands with her. She's so different now.

The last time I met her was when we were both back in standard 1 or somewhere around there. Back then she was this cute, naive and innocent little girl that didn't know head or tail, who would be too innocent to believe every single thing you'd say and do anything you ask them to do.

Which my parents, of which will happily do, often remind me of what I asked her to do the last time.

"Remember the first time you came to church you asked her to serve you a cup of water?" Then they'd burst into laughter. Firstly, until now I still couldn't figure out what was really that amusing about that, and secondly, I didn't know what was so embarrassing about that whole incident except that they laughed so much till I felt embarrassed.

That was the last time I saw her in my church, and I totally lost contact with her for the next 11 years. Most recently I met her cousin in Planet Shakers, and before I could ask her how she was, a question just popped out from my mouth sub-consciously.

"Is Miriam back in Malaysia? Got her number?"

Then it was the phone calls, smses and stuff that got me an arrangement to meet her.

And there she was.

Never in my life have I went out with such a beautiful girl for a meal or for a movie. I wasn't alone with her. Thank goodness for that, if not I'd have fainted upon seeing her. (Not used to meeting with beautiful people that's the problem)

She was fun and easy going. Unlike certain people who have an air of dignity and pride under their nose, she was very approchable and talkative, much to my relief. Initially - I must confess - I was nervous and a bit pressured prior to meeting her. That morning I woke up earlier than usual to mop the downstairs floor, and as I was mopping I was picturing worst case scenarios that could happen in case she runs away when she sees me or shrieks or screams or something like that.But that didn't happen (relief).

She's pursuing her psychology course right now, and trust me she has no looks of a potential psychologist. You might wonder why, here's why.

Forgetful.. can't even remember what she told me 10 minutes ago before entering the cinema.

Laughs too much.. couldn't take a single thing seriously. (I did picture in my mind what would actually happen if a psychiatric patient enters her office and she laughs at their problems)

Argues over every single thing that she could argue about.. again imagine her arguing with her patients.. ends up, who's the real patient? =D

She's so gonna kill me after reading this.

But there's something about her that really made both our outings enjoyable. Something different about her, and that's the way she smiles, the way she walks, the way she talks.

If I could possibly find a suitable word for all of that..

Graceful.

Always at ease, never too snobbish, never too proud, never looking down on others, never too tired to spend more time with people.. and it is her ability to befriend people that literally compensates all her other problems like being so forgetful, late, laugh-able and stuff.

And at the end of the day, it made me laugh at myself for worrying about seeing her in the first place. And it also made me realise, there are just some beautiful girls that are not hard to get along with.