A New Beginning

Jessie came into my life and turned it upside down in an instant.

From the moment we met, there were instant fireworks. She had it all—a super sexy yet elegant appearance, with natural brunette hair that flowed effortlessly and a warm smile that was incredibly infectious. Be warned though, you have to watch out for her hazel-green eyes; when you look into them, it’s like they can see deep into your soul. Her delicate features disguise a feisty side that most people don’t get to see.

She came pre-loaded with a super hot American accent that’s soft and quietly spoken enough to make even the most normal expressions charming and full of character.

But her most remarkable feature is her kind and generous nature. Jessie is an extremely positive and pleasant person who has a way of getting you to open up. Her way of speaking shows true attention and thoughtfulness— a true heart of gold.

After chatting on Bumble (a popular dating app where the girl makes the first move), we hit it off. Over text, she seemed great. Her profile was intriguing, showing the bravery to travel solo through the UK, and I admired that. We exchanged a few voice messages, and it was immediately clear that we were on the same page and would be a good match in so many ways.

After a couple of days of getting to know each other, we set up a first date, and I showed her the sights and sounds of Bristol. We went to a quiet café on Park Street called Mrs Potts Chocolate House, where we got lost in conversation. There was an instant connection on a deeper level that I had never experienced before. I could tell she was one in a million within minutes.

I had gone on a few first dates before, since I had split up with my ex and had my brain tumour removed. But I never felt the same way. It was like something was missing in one way or another. However, with Jessie, I felt an immediate connection, and I began to wonder if this was real—something that had never felt right until now.

I finally disclosed my whole brain tumour saga, and to my surprise and delight, she wasn’t put off. Instead, she used it as an interesting segue to delve deeper into my character, what made me tick, and where I wanted to take my life next.

We visited more iconic sights, including Cabot Tower and the Clifton Suspension Bridge, which was very romantic. There was an instant attraction and spark between us. I knew that I wanted to kiss her then and there while we were sitting and chatting, overlooking the bridge, but at the same time, something didn’t feel right. I was her host around a foreign city, and despite how well I felt the date was going, I decided to be the perfect gentleman and ended the date with a little kiss on the cheek.

We went on three dates in Bristol, each better than the last. On the second date, at a Japanese restaurant called Seven Lucky Gods on the harborside, my worst fear happened. Halfway through the conversation, I felt dread as my eyes began to shake—I knew it was seizure o’clock.

I stammered out that I thought I was going to have a seizure. Jessie paused for a second, seemingly gathering her thoughts, and then calmly asked how she could help. I directed her to sit on the stool beside me on my left-hand side as the seizure began. My breathing became ragged, and my arm and head twitched, pulling to the right as usual. She began telling me a story that offered comfort and assured me everything would be okay. It must have lasted about two minutes or so, but it seems much longer in the moment as you have them.

And just like that, as suddenly as it had started, it was over. I was left stunned—who was this woman who could handle such a traumatic event with such grace?

We simply picked up where we left off, soon joking about the random story she told me during the seizure. The interesting part was that we hadn’t created any fuss, and none of the staff or patrons noticed, such was her ability to handle the situation. I was confident that if my seizure had lasted longer, she would have gotten help, but I was grateful for her cool demeanour at that moment.

The date continued as if nothing had happened. The seizure was almost a relief for me—I felt better afterwards. In hindsight, I could feel it building up in the hours before, but I hadn’t yet figured out my triggers as I have now.

We moved on to a nearby pub called The Ostrich, and there was this iconic moment we’ve reflected on many times since. It suddenly started hammering down with rain, and we were totally unprepared for the weather—it was the end of August, and we were not expecting this downpour! We looked at each other, paused for a second, grinned, and then began running full pelt toward the pub, hand in hand.

We were soaked when we reached the pub, but we were laughing and smiling from ear to ear. We settled into a cosy nook in the pub and dried off. It was there that I gathered the courage to lean in and kiss Jessie for the first time.

After some time and many great conversations, the rain died down, and I insisted on walking her to her bus stop. She was staying at an Airbnb a little outside of town. We parted ways with her waving goodbye to me from the bus and left me feeling like a million dollars and the luckiest man alive. I was pleased with how it had gone, amazed at how she had shown care and compassion during my seizure, shrugging it off as if it had been nothing.

Our third and final date in Bristol was the night before Jessie was due to leave for York. It went as fantastically as the first two but without the drama of the seizure. Jessie was due to continue her adventure exploring what the UK had to offer, and we were forced into a difficult decision.

Should we leave it there and account it as a wonderful yet short-lived experience?

Or what if…

Should I ask her if I could join her on her travels through the UK?

No. That would be crazy… or Would it?

There were so many places I had yet to see myself. When was I going to get another opportunity away from my career to explore without constraints?

Meanwhile, things didn’t look good at work. I was admittedly upset and let down by a recent decision that I could not return to work even in a non-clinical role. A meeting among the directors had confirmed this, and although it was a bitter pill to swallow, I understood their reasoning. As an optometrist, I was a valuable asset to the company. If I wasn’t able to fulfil my duties, they couldn’t find a place for me. I felt surplus to requirements. I desperately wanted to get back to work for the routine it might offer. The bonds with my patients and colleagues were valuable to me, but it wasn’t the right time. I had a final meeting with Lynne, who explained all this to me.

And so, I thought… wouldn’t it be crazy to ask a girl I had just gotten to know if I could travel with her and explore the UK together?

I had fallen head over heels for her. .

But could I tell her that?

Or should I?

“F*** it,” I thought. “What the hell. You only live once—enjoy the moment.”

To my delight, and more than a little surprise, she had been thinking the same thing. I was thrilled and relieved after going out on a limb and suggesting such a bold plan.

After all, it would have been such a shame if we had left it there.

And so, we began our plans to travel around the UK together.

Let me tell you about what we got up to!

To be continued.