I was enchanted to meet you.
I tuck my scarf in a little tighter as I put my hands in my pockets. The day may be sunny but the oceanic breeze brings sweeps of chilly shivers down my back. I pull my oversized cardigan closer and feel thankful that I am in the opposite hemisphere of the Earth as I breathe in the panoramic view of the Melbourne waterfront. Back at home, it would still be Autumn around this time of year, and while I normally enjoy the bright colours of foliage that sprinkle the neighbourhoods with vibrancy, I certainly do not miss the sporadic downpours that is so common in the westcoast.
I notice a man perched on a bench overlooking the marina. We introduce ourselves and we take stroll along the boardwalk.
The way he speaks is so enchanting. I love the way his words twirl around in musical execution- it was so different. That even though we are speaking the same words in English, there was a distinct phonetic delightfulness to his words and I wouldn’t mind just listening to him speak for hours.
I joke around about the differences in Australian currency, and how the coins are different from back home (there are no pennies?? Mindblown). I tell him about my experience earlier at the gelato shop where I fumbled with the different coin sizes and hope that I had not appeared too much like an uncouth tourist. But before he could say anything, I counter with “I know how to count coins, I swear”, as we both laugh.
“So you’re visiting eh? Where are you from?”
“I’m from Canada, actually. I’m just here for the semester for school/work. I’m really starting to take everything in just now.” I paused.
“It’s really beautiful here. Did you know, I’ve been dreaming about visiting Australia ever since I was a little girl?”
“Really? What about Australia do you find so fascinating?”
And the conversation would from start there. Felicity would fly as we talk about our different lives; I talk about my desire to see everything the world has to offer, and he’d share some funny stories from growing up in the suburbs on the opposite side of the continent and in his hometown of Perth. We’d talk about the best places to see in Australia and he’d talk about his adventures of when he hiked through the sandy Australian outback that one time. He’d make some wisecrack joke about fearing sneak-attacks from Tuskan raiders, and I’d laugh because I’m a dork.
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