We're not supposed to live in comfort. Our bodies don't just get soft and slow, they get old faster, they get tired from nothing. I'd been comfortable for too long. Comfortable in my job, my circle of friends, my home. Then my eight year relationship ended overnight with practically zero warning.
I'd given her everything she
said
she needed. I was honest with her from day one that I never wanted kids, but somehow it wasn't real to her. I guess that works both ways, right? Kidding ourselves?
She didn't just break up with me, she bitched to all our friends about me. Made sure they all knew what a controlling person I was. That I told her what to eat, what to wear, that I often hit her. The worst part was, I couldn't deny any of it. Not without explaining far more about myself than I was comfortable sharing in public. I lost a number of friends, I'm lucky I didn't lose my job.
They teach you in therapy that if you make a positive change upstream from your anxiety, it will have a domino effect. We're just machines, right? Input equals output? I kept regular hours, ate three good meals a day, hit the gym whenever I could. Somehow I was still fucking miserable
I carried so much anger, it was making me helpless. Six months on, and I still felt helpless.
Someone at work suggested mindfulness.
I downloaded an app and for a couple of weeks I spent half an hour every morning learning meditation. I became more mindful of just how loud it was in my head, and how unequal this battle for wellness can be because some people just don't have that problem.
Another colleague suggested tai chi.
I signed up online with the local community centre where a sweet little woman called Pat gave classes every Wednesday evening. My lovely boss said she'd let me leave work half an hour early so I could go.
I paid Β£75 for twelve sessions which would take me up to Christmas week. In her email, Pat said she could teach us the basics week by week, but the skill of mastering our chi would only come in time.
The class was inside a damp old brick building with a fire escape running up the outside to the first floor loft. I had changed into my gym clothes before I left work, purple cycling shorts with matching sports bra and pricey trainers. Everyone else was just wearing casual clothes. There were half a dozen older people, a few university students and me.
The room was set up like a dance studio, one whole wall was mirrored. I chose a spot on the back row, a little self conscious of my skimpy gym clothes. I followed along copying the young woman in front of me because I couldn't see much of Pat. The woman had a gorgeous arse. It had just the right amount of bounce when she moved. She was more chic and graceful than athletic, her hips swayed enticingly as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
It was a dance, just a slow, simple dance. I don't know what else I thought it would be, but it was still low key disappointing. Thinking about it got me reminiscing about the year I'd spent between sixth form and uni performing and teaching. It was ten years ago, and the memories made me feel old. Old and stupid for eyeing up some nineteen year old student's arse.
In tai chi your movements are all about balancing your energy and centering yourself. I was moving "mindfully", trying not to ogle that sweet bum, when the poor girl tripped over her own feet and fell backwards into my arms. Somehow I caught her, as easy as Fred Astaire catching Ginger Rogers.
Cat like, she twisted out of my grasp and landed hard, the bang echoed loudly. She swore under her breath and reared up onto her knees, the whole class had stopped to watch. She clutched her left hand and sobbed, a single sharp cry that she strangled by holding her breath, pressing her eyes shut tight. When she breathed again it was fast and deep, but controlled. She held up her hand and the thumb was twisted into a bizarre 'S' shape.
I laughed. Out loud. I mean, who dislocates their thumb doing tai chi? Then my brain caught up with my mouth. Some of the class were staring at me.
"Well, shit." I said, more soberly.
"Shit!" she echoed, controlled breathing faltering as the real pain hit her. "I'm sorry."
A second later sensible people surrounded the poor girl, and guided her off to sit on a bench. Mel. That's what they called her. A couple of people were still glaring at me, and I glared right back.
There were only ten minutes left of the lesson, so Pat dismissed the class. The kind woman offered to drive Mel over to minor injuries but the girl insisted she'd make her own way.
I pulled my work clothes out of my bag and threw the blouse and leggings on over my gym clothes. It's not like I'd worked up a sweat. Fuck tai chi, I thought, what a waste of time.
Watching Mel wriggle her hand stoically into the sleeve of her jacket I chanced an apologetic smile. I stood aside to let her walk ahead of me down the fire escape. She smiled back politely and made her way carefully down the glorified ladder, hanging on with her good hand in white knuckle grip.
"Thanks for trying to catch me," she said.
I couldn't help rolling my eyes. "I
did
catch you."
"Sorry?"
"Forget it."
"No, you did. You caught me. Thanks anyway."
We found ourselves walking the same way towards the high street. I sped up, thinking she'd appreciate the opportunity to bow out of an awkward exchange but she kept up.
"I'm Mel," she said. "I've not seen you in Pat's class before."
I did a double take of her earnest face and raised an eyebrow. "I don't think it's for me."
"No! You were really good."
Really good huh? Had she been watching me in the mirror? Watching me check out her arse?
"If you don't get your thumb fixed quickly you could get nerve damage."
She grimaced and yanked her thumb back into place. She barely flinched, but her eyes filled up with tears. "Happens a lot."
I couldn't decide whether I was horrified or impressed. I shook my head and tried not to smirk. "That's not safe."
She shrugged. "Seriously, a lot. I used to go to the hospital every time, but life's too short right?" She caught my gaze and held it. "You laughed. Before."
There was a pause. Plenty of time to apologise. I didn't. "You don't have plans tonight?"
"I don't know. Ice. Ibuprofen. Maybe a bath."
"Wanna grab sushi first?" I'd barely finished speaking when she replied.
"Yes!"
That little word entirely gave away her feelings. The colour rose in her cheeks.
I let my smirk have free reign and felt my own pulse quicken.
Doubt flashed across her face and she swallowed nervously, "that is... I like sushi a lot."
I let her sweat a tiny bit longer before I put her out of her misery. "Me too."
***
I could see she was still in pain. Her jaw was tight, her movements cautious as we perched on bar stools. I was watching the tiny morsels pass by us on the conveyor belt and she sat watching my hands. Weird, right?
Oh shit, the ring! Since it was far too late to pull it off and swallow it, I had to play a little fast and loose with the truth.