Gossip Boi: Coincidences

Edition fourteen of Gossip Boi sees our writer ponder ‘Coincidences‘ in an article which we first published on the 15th of August 2008. We’ve left it here, along with several others from across Gossip Boi’s three seasons, for your reading pleasures. This first run of editions were originally called Gossip Boy.

Some might argue that life is full of coincidences while others would argue that coincidences don’t exist and everything is down to fate and destiny. Gossip Boy reveals all from The Streets of London.

A question often asked by some, or all of us at some point, is whether or not you believe in coincidences’. Those curious little things that happen that make you stop and think. Coincidences, if you believe in them, come in different packages and at different times. But some of you may think that there’s no such thing and everything is down to fate/destiny.

At the weekend Gossip Boy and his friend went out for a meal, a bottle of wine and a catch up. Over the course of the evening the conversation turned to ex’s – that emotionally minefield. Gossip Boy’s friend had recently broken up with his boyfriend of several years and so the wounds were still very raw for him. As for Gossip Boy he is still enjoying a romance with Tube Boy but even Gossip Boy has ex’s. As the conversation turned towards Gossip Boy’s ex who should walk into the restaurant but an ex of Gossip Boy – a coincidence?

Luckily for Gossip Boy the ex wasn’t a recent one, he was a two-year old ex, but that didn’t alter the fact that just as the conversation turned towards Gossip Boy’s ex’s an ex walked in. When meeting an ex it’s always a difficult occasion. Do you go over and say hello? Do you make conversation? Or do you pretend you haven’t seen him and let him cover over to you? As these different choices went through Gossip Boy’s head the decision was made for him as the ex came over. It was a somewhat difficult conversation as each of us were trying to be polite and friendly.

It wasn’t as though our relationship had ended badly but it had ended and when meeting an ex it’s always slightly uncomfortable. Our breakup had been on good terms, we had drifted apart, and we had kept in touch for a little while after. The ex was in the restaurant with his latest boyfriend. I had been informed by friends that this ex’ had a stream of boyfriends since Gossip Boy and none lasted longer than a few weeks. The ex introduced the new boyfriend, also an uncomfortable thing to do, and the conversation got even more strained as everyone tried to be polite but was only too aware of the uncomfortableness.

After a few moments, the ex and his latest boyfriend decided to let us be and go and sit down at their own table. But Gossip Boy couldn’t help but keep glancing over every so often to see how their evening was going. Where are they arguing? Or were they having a good time? Did he think that Gossip Boy’s friend was in fact his new boyfriend? If only Tube Boy had been here. But what if he had? That wouldn’t have made things even more difficult. And why did he turn up just at that moment? Life is full of those moments but what is it? Destiny or pure chance? A random event. A coincidence?

While walking home, after the meal, Gossip Boy and his friend bumped into the ex that the friend had been talking about. This ex was clearly drunk and with someone he’d pulled in a bar. Coincidence or fate? Whatever it was it made Gossip Boy’s friend realise he wasn’t missing out on much and maybe it was a good thing the relationship was over. So maybe it was fate after all.

Gossip Boi

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