Minding my own business ..

Any women looking for a boyfriend, get yourselves on a train to Aberdeen. Oil country. Blokes in abundance ..

'Scuse me, but is this seat free'.

I had found myself in a comparatively quiet carriage. A smart, clean looking man was sitting at a table for four. Plenty room. He seemed harmless ..

'Huh? Oh. Aye, lass. There yi go?'

The man whipped off his glasses, and re-arranged the mess on the table. I dumped my handbag on the vacant seat, and shoved my case in the luggage rack. Huge piece, as l didn't have a little one.

'You going away for a while?!'.

Uh oh .. he was a talker. Geordie accent.

I smiled, and sat down. Find phone, get bottle of water, my lippy. Sorted. I had made the 2.27pm to take me up to meet Highland Andy.

The train sped easily away and out of Edinburgh. I sent a tiny message saying l was en route. Geordie boy must have seen my smile.

'Business or pleasure, that call? You look happy!

Fecksake ..

'Meeting a friend',

'Nice woon. I'm heading home, meeself. Bin off-shore for moonths, like. Deevorced, so got no-woon waitin' faw me! He's a looky lad, your fella! Got a bloomin' meetin' fawr an 'oor ramora, then sum posh 'otel, bit dinna', then back. Flippin' health an' safety bollocks'.

I smiled, and continued to play around with my phone. I could feel him looking at me.

'Di yi live in Edinburgh?!'.

'Yeah'.

Nod.

'Aee coom from Dooroom meesel' like. Cannee place. You eva' been?!'

'No'.

Gawd ..

'If am beein' a noosince, joost sae'.

Another smile, then back to my phone. Trying to read the talers here, pal.

He offered me his Sun newspaper, apologising, saying he doesn't normally read that muck. It was going to be an awkward journey.

His name was Dave, shake, shake of hands. He was quite attractive for an older man, but this pathetic demeanor wasn't going down well. It made me feel uncomfortable. No wonder he was on his own.

'What do you do, then? For a living?'.

I knew, just knew what his reaction would be ..

'Personal Shopper. In menswear', l replied, without looking up. Not comfortable, being this cool.

Pretend your on an important bit of phone stuff. Fiddle fiddle. Not even reading anything now. Guess l will have to chat. Well. A bit. He plucked at his tee shirt.

'I just put this thing on, cause l'm travellin', like? Disnae bother me, clows. Yi take me as aye am, like. Am just me. Dave. 55 now. Gettin' past it. Bin online, boot naebudy a fancy, like? Hada coople o' dates, boot, well, got to be soomthin', chemistree, like?'

He caught my eye, but l looked away. Help ..

'Yes. I suppose there has to be'.

He had such a nice face and body, clothes, whatever, but noooo self esteem. How very sad. But, l ain't no Dear Deirdre ..

'You look just fine to me. Why do you put yourself down? There's no need'.

Oh boy. Shouldn't have said that ..

'Ya think? Aw. Aye might need sum help, next time am in tha toon, al pop in an see you. I like blondes. Was glad when you sat there. You got facebook? Tell me where you work, an al pop in'.

It was as if he had come to the conclusion l was his new bff!

I put my phone down, and looked at him. Had to be said ..

'Dave. I'm not a blonde. I'm older than you. My hair is probably pure grey. This, is the hairdresser's doing'.

I lifted up the ends of my mop, and dropped my gaze. Getting tedious, and l was missing the anticipation l wanted to feel on the journey up to be reunited with Andy. We hadn't seen each other for 10 days, and this Dave was obviously emotionally starved. I knew the feeling, but it wasn't me who would be satisfying his hunger.

It turned into a counselling sesh. I basically told him to get onto as many dating sites as he could, go to a salsa dance lessons, take up tennis, golf, anywhere to interact with other folk. Weird, me being in control. I didn't like it. This new found power. I must sound really up myself. Hope not ..

Andy rang apologetically to say how sorry he was, but unfortunately held up in the 5pm horrendous traffic, so luckily he wasn't there to meet me off the train. I wouldn't have liked to be happy in front of Dave. Silly of me, l know.

Dave carried my case off, and walking beside me to the turnstile. It was too to much by now, but THEN he said he would be catching the 3pm train back to Newcastle next day, if l wanted to share the journey. What a waste of an attractive, intelligent, nice man. He was traumatised by his divorce, and a tad desperate for female company, obviously, or maybe this was his chat-up lines?! Who knows ..

'Bye, now. Thanks but my train's bit earlier than yours tomorrow, but all the best. Chin up, now!'

I watched him walk away, and wondered how many other hundreds of lonely, fit, healthy, financially secure but deeply scarred people were out there. I had been one of them.

'Hello, my darling. I'm so sorry to not be here for you arriving. C'mere, gorgeous girl' ..