# Meet in London



## Rob625

Suppose that many years ago you agreed to meet someone in London on a particular date. That date is now approaching. You want to keep the appointment, and you are sure your friend will want to as well, but you never decided on a time or a place to meet, and the two of you have lost touch. What would you do?

I first came across this years ago, and it has always intrigued me. I'll be interested to see what this international community comes up with. You could also ask the same question about New York, Rome, ... .


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## ILT

Arrive a day before and depending on the location of the other person, wait at the airport/train station, whicever he/she is more likely to use


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## Rob625

London has three main airports and at least six main-line railway terminus stations. If you decided to choose air, it would be fair to say that Heathrow is the most important airport. But it has four terminals, so you still have a problem!


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## Agnès E.

Did you have a favorite place where you used to meeting in the past?
Or a place related to a special event for you both? (e. g., the street corner where you had your first kiss, the pub where you once saw Prince Charles drinking a beer, this kind of place, hehehe.)


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## Phryne

Rob625 said:
			
		

> Suppose that many years ago you agreed to meet someone in London on a particular date. That date is now approaching. You want to keep the appointment, and you are sure your friend will want to as well, but you never decided on a time or a place to meet, and the two of you have lost touch. What would you do?
> 
> I first came across this years ago, and it has always intrigued me. I'll be interested to see what this international community comes up with. You could also ask the same question about New York, Rome, ... .



Interesting! If I were you, I would try to stay for the longest possible amount of time, mainly around lunch hour, in Piccadilly Circus. Assuming that your friend is not from London like me, that's the place I would go to. We may not know the city, but we all know Piccadilly Circus. My second choice would be Trafalgar Square. I would also dress flashy, that way it would much easier to be spotted in the crowd.

Good luck!


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## MrMagoo

Rob625 said:
			
		

> Suppose that many years ago you agreed to meet someone in London on a particular date. That date is now approaching. You want to keep the appointment, and you are sure your friend will want to as well, but you never decided on a time or a place to meet, and the two of you have lost touch. What would you do?
> 
> I first came across this years ago, and it has always intrigued me. I'll be interested to see what this international community comes up with. You could also ask the same question about New York, Rome, ... .




First of all I'd try to get in touch again (try searching for your friends address, telephone no., e-mail address, whatever) - if this doesn't help, go to London anyways (even if you won't meet your friend, it's certainly worth a trip).
---> Think of places that you and your friend mentioned, special places you both want(ed) to see - maybe you mentioned a special one?!

Wear something flashy outstanding or something your friend will immediately notice in case you don't see him/her but (s)he notices you... 
(You're in a big city, noone will care what you wear *gg*)

In a last step, you could take some walks a few days earlier in London and pin leaflets with your tel.no or hotel-address (or anything else that tells your friend how to reach you) at special places in the city, if possible keep in mind those places you spoke about with him/her in former times. and hope (s)he'll notice ...


That's how I'd do it... 
Good Luck!! 

-MrMagoo


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## JennR

I would try contacting them at their last known location, snail mail and email.

If that did not work, if we had a mutual friend, I would contact them. 

Failing that, school reunion committee, assuming we went to the same school.

Next, Internet location method (google them or if I knew where they worked and their corporation had an internet presence, check and see if they have a personnel directory) assuming they haven't had their name removed.

Like others have said, were any special places mentioned? Did one stick out above all else? If so, that'd be the one I'd go to.

If I posted flyers at all the major airports, they'd have to be big enough and bright enough to get their attention. With a message like "Person's NAME, Meet me on London Bridge at 6PM and the date." I wouldn't necessarily post my hotel or phone number unless it was a cell phone. Would not want an unintended party showing up.

Since I don't know London at all, if it were New York, I'd head for the Empire State Building Observation deck.

If it were Paris, the Eiffle Tower.

In Rome...the Colosseum.


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## Sparkle

WoW, it had to be a special someone.. If you say you lost touch and that meeting was set up a long time ago then both of you would have to have or a very good memory, or love each other very much!

Now seriously, this reminds me of that movie...What's the name...Sleepless in Seattle maybe? Ahh dunno. 
But seriously, first I'd try to get in contact with the person, by all the possible means. If that didn't work then I'd definitely go to London and try to meet him/her there. If you're talking about a special someone, as I think, then it'd be normal if you had already mentioned cool places you both would like to visit, or a certain spot you'd like to meet at. 
My last option would be to call the double-deckers company and ask 'em to drive around with these big posters with the name of the person, hour and place to meet. If he/she was in London that'd be hard to miss. 


~Spark


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## Agnès E.

If I understood the purpose, the fun is precisely NOT to get in touch before and try and guess where to meet... Or have I misunderstood the whole thing?


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## Phryne

... or...

... like in "Before sunset", you can write a book...


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## Benjy

i would just liek to point that rob was talking about a hypothetical situation there


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## JennR

Hey Sparkle, the movie was "Sleepless in Seattle". 

I think we are supposed to say what we'd do if we were in such a situation. The hypothetical people (I am assuming) fell out of touch. I don't think the goal would be not to try to contact them before hand, only our methods for trying to make sure that we could meet them in London. However, not being able to contact them before hand would make it a lot more interesting.  Hide and go seek in London.

Another though might be:

 I'm in London. I don't know where my friend will be. Waiting in airports is not and option due to the number of terminals and airlines that fly in and out. Not to mention I have no idea what time they will arrive. So what am I to do? If I'm there a few days early, I might contact one or more of the newspapers and get my reunion story on the front page or maybe a news spot and see if I can locate my friend that way.


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## Rob625

Thanks, Benjy; yes, perhaps I should have made it clearer that I am posing a hypothetical situation.

Although if any exotic woman wants to come to London to find a special place to kiss me, maybe we can set up a practical trial for next decade ...


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## Wordsmyth

As all the sensible suggestions I can think of have been made, but picking up on Jenn's newspaper idea:

How about arriving in London the day before and doing something really outrageous (sitting nude on top of Eros, streaking in Downing Street, graffiti-ing the Tower of London with "George Bush slept here", ...? ...?) - all done with your name emblazoned across your chest, or somewhere : news-spots guaranteed!!  

And then your friend only has to do the rounds of all the police cells to find you!!  

W


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## timpeac

If the place you agreed to do this was in London, how about trying there?


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## Agnès E.

Et voilà !
That's the reason why I asked for some further details on the basic hypothesis, hehehe!!


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## Benjy

i wouldn't go and i wouldn't feel guilty. if it was that important to me i wouldnt have lost the persons phone number.

yes i know. im lame.


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## timpeac

Benjy said:
			
		

> yes i know. im lame.


 
You probably couldn't walk quickly enough to make it in time anyway then


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## Zephyrus

Benjy said:
			
		

> i wouldn't go and i wouldn't feel guilty. if it was that important to me i wouldnt have lost the persons phone number.
> 
> yes i know. im lame.



Benjy, you stole my words   
If that person had such a meaning in my life, I would have definitely kept in touch. 
Anyway if it were my case here in Lima, I would probably meet him in a traditional tourist place.


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## Phryne

Benjy said:
			
		

> i wouldn't go and i wouldn't feel guilty. if it was that important to me i wouldnt have lost the persons phone number.
> yes i know. im lame.


Sometimes, Benjy, people lose things even if they don't want to. 

This reminds me of those movies "Before sunrise" and "Before sunset". I know, it's a romantic movie and thus, kind of silly (there’s nothing sillier than love), but it is actually a part of life... for some lucky people at least. Anyway, two people meet by chance but they have to say goodbye that very same night so they arrange to meet in Vienna 6 months later. The sequel shows why they didn't meet in Vienna and that he wrote a book in order to find her, nine years later. And they do meet…

As I said, I would be in Piccadilly Circus all day, reading a book and enjoying England. You could go check me there if you wish. For the Londoners in the forums, don’t forget to say hi…


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## Like an Angel

Phryne said:
			
		

> This reminds me of those movies "Before sunrise" and "Before sunset".


 
Thinking about the end of "Before sunset" I'm sure in some years time they are going to film a "Before Nightfall"


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## Artrella

I'd go to the police station in London and try to find him/her, because of course I know his/her name, and try to explain what has happened and say that I'm a foreigner and please help me!!!

Or, if we are close friends, surely I will know his/her favourite place to go, so I'll try to find him/her in that place.


Or I would look up his number in the telephone directory..... mmmmm..... now you have put me to think.... because next year I will go there and what if I cannot find my friend???  I have thought about this possibility.... I will go there alone, so if no one is waiting for me at the airport?  Such a long trip, and then I am left alone in England?


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## Cath.S.

> Such a long trip, and then I am left alone in England?


Then you'd probably end up meeting a total stranger, alone in London for the exact same reason. And after voicing regrets about not being able to find long lost friends, after a couple of drinks and a couple of laughs, you would not feel so lonely anymore.


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## charlie2

Rob625 said:
			
		

> Suppose that many years ago you agreed to meet someone in London on a particular date. That date is now approaching. You want to keep the appointment, and you are sure your friend will want to as well, but you never decided on a time or a place to meet, and the two of you have lost touch. What would you do?
> 
> I first came across this years ago, and it has always intrigued me. I'll be interested to see what this international community comes up with. You could also ask the same question about New York, Rome, ... .


Going to London would meet a long trip for me.
Assuming that he is a very good friend of mine (but somehow we lost touch, as life holds no guarantee), I will not look for him, but I will still go to London. This city must mean something to us. Capture that "something" or recapture it, as the case may be.
Because I do not think that a good friend will be lost, I will not feel lonely or alone there. I know he is somewhere out there.


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## SILSEP

I totally agree with Phryne!

Maybe it's a casuality but when I went to the states 5 years ago I met someone by chance. I spent only an evening with that person. Even though we did not keep a contact, I will never forget that person. (I guess the other person has already forgotten me!)
There are times when circumstances of life force you to not follow your true feelings. And then it is quite difficult to get in touch again.

Anyway, in reply to Rob's threat, I would definetely go to that meeting. I would go to that place in London where we once met.

By the way, I didn't know about these movies "Before sunrise" and "Before sunset". I should watch them this weekend!

Ciao!


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## LadyBlakeney

Since this thread has become so popular, we must not forget the masterpiece "An affair to remember" with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050105/

Actually, I'm convinced that Sleepless in Seattle, Before sunrise and Before sunset took a leaf or two from this script, he, he, he.

As for what I'd do, I'd go back to London (for I'm in love with the city!), go for a walk in Regent's Park (as I used to live right across the street), sit on the front stairs of the National Gallery, walk along the river side down to The Globe theatre, lay on the slope that connects the Trinity College with the Greenwich Observatory, and I'd en up next to the Eros statue at Picadilly Circus, where I'd watch as an aeroplane wrote smoke letters in the sky reading:

"XXXXX, I'm with Eros"

I am an incurable romantic...


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## Edwin

LadyBlakeney said:
			
		

> Since this thread has become so popular, we must not forget the masterpiece "An affair to remember" with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr:



--a 1957 remake of the 1939 "Love Affair", with Irene Dunne	 and Charles Boyer. Also remade in 1994 with Warren Beatty and Annette Bening.  

At least they had the sense to agree to meet on the top of the Empire State Building.


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## LadyBlakeney

You're right Edwin!! My father would kill me if he learned I forgot his admired Charles Boyer...  



			
				Edwin said:
			
		

> --a 1957 remake of the 1939 "Love Affair", with Irene Dunne	 and Charles Boyer. Also remade in 1994 with Warren Beatty and Annette Bening.
> 
> At least they had the sense to agree to meet on the top of the Empire State Building.


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## Phryne

Edwin said:
			
		

> --a 1957 remake of the 1939 "Love Affair", with Irene Dunne     and Charles Boyer. Also remade in 1994 with Warren Beatty and Annette Bening.
> 
> At least they had the sense to agree to meet on the top of the Empire State Building.



That's because they have no idea how bad the line is!


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## Artrella

egueule said:
			
		

> Then you'd probably end up meeting a total stranger, alone in London for the exact same reason. And after voicing regrets about not being able to find long lost friends, after a couple of drinks and a couple of laughs, you would not feel so lonely anymore.




 ...  ...you are right Egueule!!!....Thank you for the idea....  

But I prefer meeting my friend... it's because of him/her I'll do this trip....


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## la grive solitaire

Phryne said:
			
		

> Sometimes people lose things even if they don't want to.


And sometimes, despite all odds, people find each other again, too. I remember a story a few years ago about two brothers from Yugoslavia, separated during the Holocaust, who were reunited because a neighbor happened to see one of them on a show about Holocaust survivors. If I were trying to meet up with someone after several years' separation, I too would probably go to a place that had been special, but I think the best chance of its working out would derive from the anticipation of finding each other again.


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## anangelaway

Sparkle said:
			
		

> WoW, it had to be a special someone.. If you say you lost touch and that meeting was set up a long time ago then both of you would have to have or a very good memory, or love each other very much!
> 
> Now seriously, this reminds me of that movie...What's the name...Sleepless in Seattle maybe? Ahh dunno.
> But seriously, first I'd try to get in contact with the person, by all the possible means. If that didn't work then I'd definitely go to London and try to meet him/her there. If you're talking about a special someone, as I think, then it'd be normal if you had already mentioned cool places you both would like to visit, or a certain spot you'd like to meet at.
> My last option would be to call the double-deckers company and ask 'em to drive around with these big posters with the name of the person, hour and place to meet. If he/she was in London that'd be hard to miss.
> 
> 
> ~Spark


 
_Now seriously, this reminds me of that movie...What's the name...Sleepless in Seattle maybe? Ahh dunno._
 
I think it was 'Before Sunrise'...


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## Phryne

la grive solitaire said:
			
		

> And sometimes, despite all odds, people find each other again, too. I remember a story a few years ago about two brothers from Yugoslavia, separated during the Holocaust, who were reunited because a neighbor happened to see one of them on a show about Holocaust survivors. If I were trying to meet up with someone after several years' separation, I too would probably go to a place that had been special, but I think the best chance of its working out would derive from the anticipation of finding each other again.


Hi, LGS!

Recently I read the story of these twin Mexican girls that were given for adoption separately in the US. For some reason, they both ended up somewhere around NY and they met by chance without knowing they had a twin sister. Apparently people that knew girl A bumped into girl B and thought she was girl A. Finally, somehow they figured out that they might have a twin and arranged meeting (they were about 18 years old). I saw the picture in the paper and it was really odd to see that regardless of completely different upbringing, they still looked exactly the same: they had similar hair cuts, had the same size figure and so on... 

saludos


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## Wordsmyth

Phryne said:
			
		

> [...] it was really odd to see that regardless of completely different upbringing, they still looked exactly the same: they had similar hair cuts, had the same size figure and so on...
> 
> saludos


 Saludos Phryne,

... and the behavioural geneticists would say "Sure, just what we'd expect ..."  

W


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## VenusEnvy

Phryne: I saw the special about those girls on TV, too! It's amazing.

With regards to going to London or not, well, I suppose it depends on how much you want it. Some people have a fire in their heart. Special people give us that fire. If I really thought it was worth it, I'd go. I'd do _everything _ I could think of to reach him.


Wait, no I wouldn't. He needs to come to me!


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## Inara

¿Encontraría a la Maga? Tantas veces me había bastado asomarme, viniendo por la rue de Seine, al arco que da al Quai de Conti, y apenas la luz de ceniza y olivo que flota sobre el río me dejaba distinguir las formas, ya su silueta delgada se inscribía en el Pont des Arts, a veces andando de un lado a otro, a veces detenida en el pretil de hierro, inclinada sobre el agua. Y era tan natural cruzar la calle, subir los peldaños del puente, entrar en su delgada cintura y acercarme a la Maga que sonreía sin sorpresa, convencida como yo de que *un encuentro casual era lo menos casual en nuestras vidas, y que la gente que se da citas precisas es la misma que necesita papel rayado para escribirse o que aprieta desde abajo el tubo de dentífrico.* _Julio Cortazar "Rayuela"
_For those who doesn't know Spanish, I may try to translate it, but it would sound better if some native person does it.


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## LadyBlakeney

I hope Julio Cortázar will forgive me for this:

Would I find the Sorceress? So many times I had but to look, when coming along the Rue de Seine, to the arch leading to the Quai de Conty, and the ash and olive light floating above the river would hardly let me make out the shapes, already her slim silhouette was pictured on the Pont des Arts, sometimes walking to and fro, others standing by the iron handrail, leaning towards the water. And it was so natural to cross the street, walk up the stairs, enter the bridge's brief waist and approach the Sorceress, who smiled unsurprised, convinced just as I was that a chance encounter was less of a chance than anything in our lives, and that people who arrange precise dates are the same who need ruled paper to write on or push the toothpaste from the bottom of the tube.


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## Inara

Lady Blakeney,
I take my hat off.
But I wouldn t translate "Maga", I think it is understandable in any language "Maga" - "magic"


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## LadyBlakeney

Thanks for your support, Inara. That's a good idea, "the Maga".


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## Wordsmyth

Inara said:
			
		

> Lady Blakeney,
> I take my hat off.
> But I wouldn t translate "Maga", I think it is understandable *in any language* "Maga" - "magic"


 Hi Inara,

The trouble with forums is there's always some smartass ready to leap on your every word   

So, putting on my smartass hat (the one that has "I'm really a very lovable person when I take this hat off" written on the back) ... and just for fun :

- 'Maga' means 'contact' (or something similar) in Hebrew

- 'Maga' means 'thin'  in Rasta patois

   

W


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## Inara

Wordsmyth said:
			
		

> Hi Inara,
> 
> The trouble with forums is there's always some smartass ready to leap on your every word
> 
> So, putting on my smartass hat (the one that has "I'm really a very lovable person when I take this hat off" written on the back) ... and just for fun :
> 
> - 'Maga' means 'contact' (or something similar) in Hebrew
> 
> - 'Maga' means 'thin' in Rasta patois
> 
> 
> 
> W


 
Hey, Wordsmyth!
If you read Rayuela you can figure out that Maga was of "thin" constitution. And as for word "contact" it also has some spiritual connotation, I think "Maga" would do in any case.


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## Wordsmyth

Inara said:
			
		

> Hey, Wordsmyth!
> If you read Rayuela you can figure out that Maga was of "thin" constitution. And as for word "contact" it also has some spiritual connotation, I think "Maga" would do in any case.


 Wow Inara,

Respect! I take my hat off and bow very low.  

You win the 'Quickest-thinking Anti-smartass Riposte of the Year' award.  

Maybe we should meet in London (said he, not to be off-topic!). No particular time or place, but I'll be the one squeezing _el tubo de dentífrico_ from both ends at once  

W


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## amikama

Wordsmyth said:
			
		

> - 'Maga' means 'contact' (or something similar) in Hebrew


 
True, but also _mag_ = magician in Hebrew...   
(However this word is arachaic and disused in nowadays Hebrew. We say קוסם _kosem_ instead.)


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## Wordsmyth

amikama said:
			
		

> True, but also _mag_ = magician in Hebrew...
> (However this word is arachaic and disused in nowadays Hebrew. We say קוסם _kosem_ instead.)


 Thanks amikama, 

Your info inspired me to check the etymology of 'magic' : seems it goes back through French, Latin, Greek, Old Persian, right back to early Indo-European roots; so I guess Hebrew is there in the tree as well.

Well, Inara, you were right on target. So 'The Maga' it is!

(I'm just waiting for a Rasta patois speaker to come in with: "... but in archaic Rasta 'maga' also meant 'voodoo' -- then I'll not only take off my hat, but eat it as well!  )

W


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## Inara

Well, the point was that there is no sence to make dates with people you really understand. You just get across of them


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## Inara

But I still don t understand why you people say "The Maga"? Can you use an article with a name of somebody? I am not good in any language grammer but I would say just "Maga" ... Really, he called her by the name he invented, though a name may mean whatsoever. Mine means "lighting" but no any arab guy never said about me "The Inara" !


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## LadyBlakeney

Inara, I posted my reply on a new thread in the Spanish-English Grammar forum.

http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=34515


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