The wierdest of experiences: Part I

We were all at Keats getting up to our usual nonsense. At some point during the evening, Azdadoobie got separated from us and found herself in conversation with a random stranger, Mr. Q.

"I've been thinking about you all evening," he told her, "I think we're meant to be together."
She looked at him incredulously, and I don't blame her. What sort of ridiculous thing to say was that?! She wasn't quite sure how to respond, so just laughed in an attempt to brush him off.
But he was persistent. "Seriously," he insisted. "As soon as you entered the bar earlier today, I knew we were meant to be together."
At this point, she couldn't help being drawn into the conversation, it was so surreal. "You don't even know me. You're basing that entirely on looks," she pointed out.
"I know," he said, "but I'm looking at you and all I want to do is be with you."
"That means you have dubious taste," she argued. "Now why would I want to be with a guy who had dubious taste?"
I, listening on amused, burst out laughing. He was slightly thrown off with that comment. "Look, all I'm asking is for you to give me a chance," he said. "Just go out with me on one date and you'll realise it too. I can just feel it."
"Hmm, err, no thanks. I reckon you're just a bit drunk." But he wouldn't have no for an answer. And there was something just so earnest and sincere about him, not at all like the cocky guys one normally meets in bars. She found it difficult to keep rejecting him, and eventually he broke her barriers down.
"Okay fine, but something innocuous. Like brunch."
"That's perfect! Tomorrow at 1?"And before she knew what had hit her, they'd agreed to meet on Sunday morning for brunch.

Azdadoobie threw me a panicky look, and I could tell she was discomfitted by the situation.
"Well why don't we all go out for brunch together?" I stepped in. Probably much to Mr. Q's irritation. But Azdadoobie looked instantly relieved.
"What a fantastic idea," she agreed instantly.
"Okay fine," Mr. Q conceded reluctantly. He turned to his friend Delta. "You fancy coming too?" I knew what he wanted was to have someone keep me distracted so he could have time alone with Azdadoobie. But I was fine with that, I can talk to anyone and kill time for a couple of hours - just as long as Azdadoobie wasn't stuck alone with a strange guy out in the town. Even if it was just a cafe for brunch.
Delta seemed okay with it. So with that, we all bid each other farewell, having agreed to meet at Smorgas for brunch the next morning.

Sunday morning I opened my eyes, and suddenly the previous nights conversation flooded back into my mind. "AZDADOOBIE!!!!" I hollered. She entered the room, and we both instantly burst out laughing. Had we really agreed to meet two random strangers for brunch?!
"Do we really have to go? Should we just stand them up?"
"No, we can't stand them up! We shouldn't have fixed it in the first place, but now that we have, it's terribly rude to stand people up."
"Okay fine, you're right."
"Maybe they'll stand us up," I said hopefully.
"Well either way I quite fancy a big brunch in a cafe. I'm starving."
"Remember to dress really grungy and make yourself unattractive," I advised sagely. So we both dressed like real muppets - baggy sweaters, hair tied up, dirty trainers - the works.

But before long we were showered and ready, and heading gigglingly down the stairs towards the cafe.