SYMMETRY

an old thinking notebook tells me
that we met at the station pub
on the evening of wednesday 8 december 2010
i have some hazy recollections of the evening
i remember how a copy of 'free to be human' changed hands
and there was much talk of our plans and directions for the new year
if i were to trawl through some of my other old notebooks
i would find further records of other meetings at the station
especially over the summer
when i was grateful for the moral support and cameraderie
at my weekly open mikes
i was more than happy to return the favour
as you took to tredding your own boards
as the year began to wane
the venues for our rendezvous diversified
the red lion
the british oak
the country girl
the selly park tavern
the whore and hands
the old moseley arms
all became our watering holes
but the format remained the same
good ale
good conversation
time and space to explore the kind of personal stuff
that is often difficult to explore
intellectual inquiry
spiritual sustenance
all while avoiding pub quizzes!
back at the station on thursday night
we came full circle
there was a nice sense of symmetry
that we should end up there again
two travellers on railway lines to who knows where
you in the audience
as i debuted a song inspired by a comment you threw into the mix
on a night not long ago
'you're either asleep or awake'
i recall you saying
'and most people are asleep'
thanks for the inspiration
thanks for the warmth and the friendship
it's been an interesting journey
i'm already looking forward to the time
when our tracks cross again
hasta la vista amigo