Mistake no more

January 2003

‘I never think about that’ she said. ‘Always think we will be together, no more parting’
‘Well you need to think about it’
‘Honey, I will wait for you. So this is life. Nothing is perfect’

Then to change the subject, she said, ‘I will let you know more about the trip tomorrow, I will speak to another agent, but this agent will not take the credit card, so will have to pay cash.’

‘Well you do what is best babe, and have a think about whether you want a time limit’

I wanted her to repeat that she would wait for me, but she didn’t, and when the conversation ended a few minutes later, I felt a pang of disappointment that would stay with me throughout the night.


The next day I had another long email with various options for trips. I didn’t read it. I was more interested in her other email though. It said:

‘Honey, you know I will wait for you no matter what… you are the person who I want to walk together with for the rest of life… when you find true love, you must never let it go, otherwise will be regretting for whole life… I know we can wait for each other…. so no pressure honey, you loved one will be waiting here patiently… I have no doubts… we have waited a couple months already… I will look forward to our new life. .I know will be happy forever…’

So I got the response I’d wanted. So my mistake was a mistake no more. Without initially intending to do so, I had managed to change the expectation I’d created on the first day that I met Maggie, namely that I was certain of employment in Hong Kong.

I’d known for some time that the lie couldn’t last forever. I just hadn’t worked out how to deal with it.