He first saw her coming out of a shop in the high street.
It was a sunny day with rain forecast for mid-morning. He had no plans for the day, other than spending time wandering around town. Most of his Saturday mornings were like this. It was never anything you’d call exciting, but looking in shop windows, sometimes buying the odd thing, and visiting a café. It was a time-out thing for him. That is, it was that kind of day until he saw her come out of the newsagency across the street from him. He was instantly smitten. She was like something out of this world. She walked slowly passed shop windows, pausing from time to time to look at things.
This continued for some time, with her occasionally going in and coming out of shops, before he realised he had been following her for several minutes. He hadn’t taken his eyes off her. He hoped she wasn’t aware of him. To be accused of stalking… although that’s exactly what he was doing, would ruin any chance he ever had of getting to know her. Finally, after staring in through the window of a clothes shop for some time, she went in. Outside, across the street, he watched as the rain began. He had no umbrella with him and he had seen that neither had she.
Taking a chance, he raced back along a couple of streets to where he had seen small telescopic umbrellas for sale, he bought one and ran back. It was coming down heavily at this point and he used it. Returning to his vantage point he saw her still in there talking to the shop assistant.
Eventually, she looked as though she was saying goodbye, about to leave. He dodged a car to get across, then held himself in readiness. The timing had to be right. When she came out she stood under the awning for a moment, wondering how long it would be before it stopped.
He approached, saying, “May I?”
Her eyes sparkled. “Well, thank you! Talk about great timing.”
They both stood for a moment looking out at the rain. Together, they both blurted out, “Horrible weather!”
They laughed, and that started it.
Timing can do that.