The Actress

I look up to see how over cast it is as I make my way home. I am feeling in good spirits, despite the low hanging grey sky, which seems to have become a permanent feature over London. The meeting I have had has gone well and I’m feeling reasonably optimistic about the potential outcomes, work wise. As I approach the traffic lights to cross the main road, the clouds give way under pressure and I feel the first scattering of rain. Luckily for me, and for what seems like the first time in my life, I am prepared and have a small umbrella under my arm. I stand at the edge of the road as the cars splash past and wait for the lights to change, and as I do so, I look around to my left, and that’s when I see her.

She stands there looking forlorn, her coat collar turned up and with her long thick dark hair cascading down over her shoulders. “Forgotten your umbrella?” I ask and immediately regret asking such a redundant question. ‘Forgotten your umbrella? Is that the best you can do?’ “Yeah, I didn’t realise it was going to rain” She says. “Where are you heading to?” I ask. “Just the supermarket, it’s down that way isn’t it?” “Yup, well I’m walking right past there, would you like to share mine?” “That’s so nice, thank you” she says, with a smile.

We walk down the main road towards the supermarket and break into conversation. “Are you from around here” she asks. “Yes, I live just down the road and I’m on my way home. How about you?” “No, I’ve just come from the estate agents back there. I’ve had a row with them about the flat they’re letting me.” “Right.” We talk more and it turns out that she’s an actress with a drama company just around the corner from where I live. Not only that, but she’s slightly bonkers too, which only serves to make me warm to her – that and the fact that she’s adorable.

We talk about job interviews and auditions and acting and then I realise that the supermarket is only 50 metres away. I slow up my speed and we talk about where she’s from and where she lives, 30 metres. We talk about the pubs we’ve been to locally as we try and compare notes, 20 metres. I start to marvel at the fact that I feel like I already know a lot about this girl and I’m wishing that the supermarket were at least another half mile away, 10 metres. And now we are edging towards the zebra crossing that leads directly to the supermarket and I realise the moment we part, that I will probably never see her again.

We pause and talk some more, before a short silence ensues. I break it by nodding my head towards the supermarket. “Well, I guess that’s you.” “Yup” she says “Well if you fancy seeing some drama sometime...” “Yeah sure” I say, “Or if you fancy going for a drink sometime...” “Yes I’d love to” she says.

I reach for my phone to take her number and immediately I’m embarrassed that I seem to have the oldest Nokia in London, and one that everyone has been ribbing me about. “Oh cool, you’ve got one of those – they’re so much easier to use.” Inside I’m beaming. Outside, I’m doing my best to maintain a cool indifference. She types in her number, attaches a girly face to it and presses save. “There” she says, as she hands me back the phone.

“So..” I say. “So..” she says

“I’d better go” she indicates, as she nods over to the supermarket, “Call me”

“I will – bye then”

“Bye”