The Social Butterfly

I looked at the watch on my wrist and realized that I still had 45 minutes to be at the next appointment. It was 11.30 AM and the restaurant was crowded. The famed MTR Bise Bhele Bhaat was taking its own sweet time to arrive and I was getting late. Ten minutes to wolf down the Bise Bhele Bhaat; five minutes to say my goodbyes and dash to the Train station and half an hour to reach my destination. The plan seemed perfect.

A few minutes later I glanced at my watch and it still said 11.30. Noticing that something was amiss I opened my phone and realised that the watch had stopped working. I had thirty minutes to finish my lunch and make it to the next appointment. I could not leave without eating as my companion for lunch had waited for my food to arrive.

At that very moment the food arrived. Without thanking the waiter I quickly ate and went to the train station to catch the train for my next appointment. I was meeting a long lost friend after half a decade and didn't want to be late.

I managed to reach my destination three minutes late. I had rehearsed my apologies and my  friend was no where to be seen. I had two and a half hours for the next appointment and figured out that I had ample time to finish this appointment before running for the next.

I am a weekend social butterfly. It make up for the isolation during the week, I fix multiple appointments during the weekend. I meet a friend for breakfast, another for lunch and yet another for tea. By the time it is dinner, I am full and tired but calling off social engagements is against my ethic and I end up meeting four people a day. I do not complain as I love meeting new people and being a social butterfly is something I brought upon myself.

People who have known me for decades are surprised at the metamorphosis I have undergone into becoming this butterfly. Some of my friends have known me almost all my life and believe that I place more emphasis on making friends rather than exploring the depth of friendship. Sometimes even I believe that flying from gathering to gathering has made me superficial. This in some cases has prevented me from forming meaningful friendships and relationships, which was something I did during my caterpillar and cocoon stages of life (i.e. School and College).

Despite being social and having multiple appointments in a day, I have managed to build some friendships while the vast majority of them have been superficial. Being a social butterfly has its share of perks and pitfalls. Meeting many people is a definite plus. Being able to meet people and choose whom you want to hang out with in the long run is another.

Lastly, the advantages of being a social butterfly outweigh the negatives that this possesses. It gives you the opportunity to get to know people. Good things begin small. The best of friendships and relationships begin with a humble smile and acknowledgement.