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The fiery blur of crimson that came towards me was not one of London’s iconic buses. Nor was it a rogue fireball, although the impact and heat that resulted from the vision before me was very much the same.

I was mid sentence about to walk into the bagel shop when I caught glimpse. ''KAREN*!!'' I exclaimed referring to my lunchtime companion. She turned quickly, possibly assuming that I was having a brief asthmatic episode or cardiac arrest judging from the swift and deep inhalation which had followed her name. It was too late for the sentence to be completed in the way I originally planned. No, it would be too obvious and besides the vision was so close now I could almost touch…

It was him. Mr GQ in all his glory. Clearly just returning from a lunchtime jog, he was dressed in red shorts and a matching sweat top hence the crimson blur. And, judging by the sheen on his brow and the look of his walk, he must have really put some effort in.

He must have noticed me, or heard my reaction at least, because he was looking me dead in the eye by the time Karen* had actually turned around. “Err… let’s go into the shop then. I’m pretty hungry” I finally finished, Karen* looking at me like I was mentally disturbed.

Only when we finally got into the shop did I tell her what I had originally planned; who he was and what had just occurred. He was halfway down the road at this stage, probably on the way back to his office. It was then that I noticed that I stood alone.

 I was still cringing when she came close to him and slowed down, and near mortified when I saw her stop! Mortification turned to relief when she decided to look down the side street (clearly pretending to look for someone) then turn and head back towards me.  By the time she had reached back, I was still glued to the same spot. She must have read the expression on my face because she felt the need to explain. “I just had to see his face, as much as you talk about him I just needed to see who it was… you know he’s like a celebrity to me, don’t worry he didn’t even notice me”.

As we laughed about it I thought, you know what; as embarrassing as the situation seemed to me, it could have been worse, I mean, it could have been our other friend who had decided to run down the road, and knowing what she’s like, she would have probably rugby tackled him to the ground and dragged him to me kicking and screaming…. That may not have been so amusing!

*Name has been changed.

 Onyx Knight