Page 4 of Love, In Balance

Looks like I’ve met my match. And he is glorious.

He’s either a fellow academic or likes Back to the future. Either way, he’s making my insides twirl.

“Correct” is shouted out loudly and pulls me from my admiration of bar guy.My teammates look at me with equal disgust and appreciation as I give them no time to answer the questions themselves. I’m starting to think that bar guy and I should probably create our own little alliance.

Great minds think alike.

“I’m actually going to give the lads a chance to answer this time. You know, help with their egos and all” I say to my new quiz companion.

He agrees.

“I’ll try and hold back to see how both our teams get on without us then” he says, winking at me. Game on.

“Question four, is it true or false that Iron is attracted by magnets?”

This time, instead of calling out the answer, bar guy and I quietly whisper the answer.

“True”

Both correct again. Luckily my team called out the right answer too. Another point for us. Yes! (A silent victory).

Oh shit, maybe I also take pub quizzes too seriously.

Well in my defence, if they involve anything relating to science or engineering, that’s when I’m as hooked as a child is to some bizarre trippy kids show on TV these days.

To be honest, I wouldn’t have minded losing to bar guy though. He seems nice.

Disappointingly, the flustered bar lady has now served our drinks, so my excuses to stay stood here with this like-minded stranger dwindle.

One more question and I’ll retreat to my team.

“Question five, how many millilitres are there in a fluid pint?”. After a pause from the room, we both give in.

“568ml” we both call out.

“Correct”.

With that, we raise our glasses to one another.

“I should be heading back now” he says looking down.

It annoys me that I don’t want this to end, but I give in and agree with him.

“Me too” I say.

“It was good to meet you” he says, turning to walk off.

“And you” I slowly walk back to my table.

We don’t win the quiz. Neither does bar guys team.

It seems the locals managed to win based on entertainment trivia questions, which there were more of, whereas our forte was the STEM topic, or literature due to our very own expert, Reed.

Hey ho. The prize wasn’t exactly mind blowing anyway.

It consisted of some bottles of alcohol, local cheese, a free drink for each team member this evening, some vouchers, and £50 cash. Which let’s face it wouldn’t have been so useful between us all.

“Whose Mr know it all?” Drew asks me.

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