My most recent stranger is a 23 years old Turkish software engineer. Living in New York, visiting London for an unknown purpose - work or leisure related I assume.
I don’t know his name. I’m most likely not going to see him ever again, so I consider it a useless piece of information. I regard Turkish names as difficult to memorize anyway. For the sake of this story let’s call him the New York stranger.
We met thanks to my other, less recent stranger (from now on referred to as C.). Turkish as well, any attempt to pronounce his name would very inappropriately end up resembling the muslim Holly War, so I don’t.
All three of us met for lunch at a sushi restaurant near London’s Soho Square. I don’t remember much of the introduction routine, I was far too surprised by the unexpected presence of the new guy. Surprised and overwhelmed. For the first few moments. However, I wasn’t put off by the challenge of making an impression on a new stranger. I took it as an opportunity to practice my social skills and just hoped that this very unbalanced triangle that I got into (as the weaker edge unfortunately), would somehow turn out into an advantage. That I could simultaneously charm both of them without loosing my dignity and sway through this lunch session with such ease and grace that I often admire in sensible characters around me.
