Studying Abroad, If You Know What I Mean
The six o’clock alarm blares, waking Mary Kate. In an automatic reaction, she begins her morning. Pulling the shades, pouring the bath, heating the kettle and collecting her books. She steps into her bath and promptly screams. She quickly finishes her ice cold bath and by then her tea water is done. As she pours a cuppa, she notices the calender- Saturday. Mary Kate sits at her kitchen table and lets her head fall onto the table top. She rubs her head, then goes into her living room and turns on the television. Saturday morning cartoons: she still enjoys them after twenty-two years of living. Just as she settles down into her comfy chair, the phone rings as if on cue.
"Hello," she says.
"Good morning Mary Kate. I didn’t wake you, did I?"
"No professor. Is something wrong?"
"Goodness no. I have some marvelous news concerning you."
"Continue," says Mary Kate, now interested in the conversation.
"You have been selected to study abroad for a year."
"Really! Where?"
"England"
"Oh my gosh, thank you so much."
"You leave this Monday."
"This Monday?"
"Yes, you better get ready."
Without saying anything more, Mary Kate hangs up the phone, rushes into her room and begins clearing out her closet.
Two days later.....
"Now boarding for transatlantic flight to London, England," a voice over a loudspeaker announces. Mary Kate picks up her carry-on bag and rushes toward the boarding gate. She makes it onto the plane without any difficulty. However, she does have trouble finding her seat. The flight attendant directs her to her seat, directly beside a handsome, young man. The young man is sitting in the aisle seat and Mary Kate is assigned the window seat. Like a true gentleman, he gets up and allows her to take her seat. She sets her bag beneath her seat and watches the plane take off and she says her goodbye to the United States.
The young man introduces himself, "Hello, I’m Eric," he offers his hand, Mary Kate shakes it.
"I’m Mary Kate."
"So this will be your first trip to England?" asks Eric.
"Yes, but I’ve always wanted to go there. You’re returning home then?"
"Yes, it will be nice to be home."
"Did you enjoy your stay in the states?"
"Yea, but I’m a bit homesick."
They continue to talk throughout the rest of the flight. Mary Kate learns that Eric is a comedian working at the BBC. But, unfortunately the flight has to come to an end.
"I’d really love to see you again Mary Kate," says Eric as the get off the plane.
"I’d like to see you again too," replies Mary Kate.
He writes his number on a small scrap of paper and hands it to her, "Give me a call when you’re all settled in."
"I will, thanks," she gives him a quick hug before going their separate ways.
Shortly after in a London flat...
Mary Kate’s professor was nice enough to find and help pay for her flat; he had even got her a job which she would start in two days. She would work as a librarian in a nearby public library. Her flat is small , but it suits her perfectly. The room she takes to be the bedroom is cozy with a lovely view of London at its best. Her parlour is quaint and connected via a swinging door to the kitchen and off the kitchen is the loo. Most of her belongings arrived the day before, so she begins unpacking immediately. She works on her flat for hours until at three AM she realizes how late it really is. Thankfully she doesn’t begin her studies for another week.
The next day she awakes at nine, eager to finish settling in. Around noon she takes a break, deciding to call Eric. The phone rings, but it isn’t Eric that answers, his friend Michael does instead.
"Hello," says Michael politely.
"Good afternoon, is Eric in?"
"Yes, one moment, I’ll get him."
"Thank you."
Michael covers the mouthpiece and yells for Eric, "Eric, telephone," he then sets the telephone down. Eric comes out of his room, "Who is it?"
"I don’t know, she didn’t say; sounds like an American bird though."
Eric’s heart skips a beat in excitement as he picks up the phone, "Hello."
"Hi, Eric?"
"Yes, how are you Mary Kate?"
"How’d you guess?"
"Your accent, love."
"Oh, well I’ve just about settled in and was wondering if you’d like to come over this evening for dinner."
"I’d love to, what time should I come by?"
"About seven would be good."
"Alright, see you then, bye."
"Bye."
Eric hangs up the phone and laughs quietly to himself.
"What was all that then?" asks Michael.
"Oh, that’s a girl I met on the plane home."
"Never believed it."
"Believed what?"
"That you really could find love on an airplane."
"It’s not love," says Eric.
"Yet," finishes Michael.
Eric picks up a pillow on the couch and throws it jokingly at Michael.
That evening at Mary Kate’s flat...
Mary Kate, a hopeless romantic, lights candles and cooks a sumptuous dinner for two. After cooking the meal she gets ready. The only dress she has that isn’t wrinkled from the trip is a cute black dress with a white horizontal stripe at the waist. It is a rather short dress so she hopes it isn’t too revealing for her company. Almost immediately after she finishes getting ready she hears a knock upon her apartment door. After quickly looking at her reflection in her mirror, she unlocks the door and lets Eric in.
"Hello love," he says as he hands her a bunch of red roses.
"They’re lovely," she says and she pecks him on the cheek in thanks, "Make yourself comfortable, I’m going to put these in a vase."
"Alright."
Mary Kate heads into the kitchen to put the flowers in water. Eric looks around the apartment, it looks as though someone has been living there for some time. He goes to the stereo and looks over her records. On the very top of the stack is the Beatles’ Rubber Soul. He picks it up and is reading it when Mary Kate returns with the vase of roses. She sets the flowers down on the table and goes to the stereo.
"That’s one of my favourites," she tells Eric.
"May I?" he asks.
"Sure, go ahead."
He removes the record and starts playing it.
"So this is the American release of the album?"
"Yes, I can’t get the English albums where I’m from."
"Oh, well I’ll have to take you shopping some time, there is a great little record shop just down the street."
That would be great."
Leaving the record playing they go to the table to eat dinner. Mary Kate sits Eric down and goes into the kitchen returning with two plates. They begin eating, but recognizing the song on the record, Eric pauses.
"What’s wrong?" asks Mary Kate.
"I love this song," he gets up and takes her by the hand, "may I have this dance?" They dance closely to Paul McCartney’s lovely ballad "Michelle." The song finishes and Mary Kate flips the record. Eric notices the time as she is sorting through her other records.
"Mary Kate, I thank you for a wonderful evening, but I’m afraid I must go, the guys and I have a meeting early tomorrow morning."
"Alright, thanks for the flowers again."
She gets his cloak from the cupboard and as she hands it to him he
gives her
a peck on the cheek and thus they say goodbye again.