Matchmakers

So on the train home last night I found myself sitting opposite an age 70ish, smart-looking, Asian man. I started reading the Evening Standard and he settled into his seat. A few moments later a similar-aged, distinguished-looking, Sikh man, stepped onto the carriage. He walked past our seats and stopped for a moment, the two men glanced at each other and paused; mutual recognition. It turned out they were old school friends who had lost touch many years ago.
Following the initial excitement, there was much to catch up on; careers, wives, families, other friends and so on. As the casual eavesdropper I quickly lost interest in the paper and discreetly focussed on the interaction taking place in front of me instead. Why did I find it so interesting?
Because here were two men in their late 60s/70s, one Muslim, one Sikh, both educated professionals, whose conversation about their families had quickly turned to focus on their unmarried children. Here was me thinking that matchmaking was the sole domain of females; to my surprise, the Muslim man told the Sikh man about a Sikh girl that his family knew who would potentially be a good match for his unmarried son. The two men exchanged contact details and the matchmaker promised to contact the Sikh man with more details about the girl the next day.
I don't know how the story will turn out, but it got me thinking about the importance of matchmakers. In my own experience I have often ended up irritated by (my perception of) interfering, busy-body matchmakers, who never seem to consider compatibility beyond age, but I realise now that any potential match is something us single people should be grateful for. People often try to match-make in good faith with the hope that two lonely souls can find love; there's something endearing about the fact that matchmaking is somehow ingrained in Asian culture, regardless of sex, age or social status. When I think of my single friends I often wish I could match them with their dream partner and I know that if I ever manage it, it will certainly be one of my greatest achievements! So this post is in recognition and appreciation of all the matchmakers out there who are giving chance and serendipity a helping hand.
  

What's a girl to do...

I've been dating for years now but I've experienced a new phenomenon in 2012, most recently on Halloween, something that I can only describe as awkward haunting (for want of a better phrase).
In the past, I would go on a date or two, realise it was going nowhere and never see the boy again.
This year, something different has happened, I seem to be bumping into boys I have been on a date with at the most unexpected times all over London, months after we last met.
I'm not 100% sure how to handle this situation and not exactly proud of how I have handled it so far:

1) the first time it happened was like a scene from a Bollywood film; I was late to meet a friend for lunch, we had decided to meet near the tube station, however, I got there and she was nowhere in sight. It had started to rain, i called her and she directed me to where she was, i followed her directions and ended up in a leafy square that was seemingly deserted...apart from one person, that is. The boy who had stolen my heart just a month earlier and then disappeared, had entered the square a few seconds after me from a different entrance. We were on course to cross paths, so what did I do? I turned around and strategically hid behind some trees! My reasoning, I was completely unprepared for such an encounter. Here was the first boy who had made me believe that I could fall in love in years, I had thought of him many times and wanted to see him again - but not when looking like a drowned muppet. He walked on to wherever he was going and then it hit me, I had just lost a great opportunity. I haven't seen him again.
2) the second time, in what seems like a recurring theme in my life, I was late for a meeting and rushing to the venue. I stopped at a busy junction, waiting for the green man to appear. In a world of my own and worried about walking in late to a round table discussion, I crossed the road and saw someone walking towards me and smiling. I assumed that he was smiling at someone behind me but as we crossed each other I realised he was a boy that I had been on two dates with, which had ended acrimoniously. There was no-one behind me, he had indeed been grinning at me. What did I do? I blanked him. This is something that I'd never usually do in my dealings with people. I felt bad about my rudeness.
3) the third time, on Halloween night, I was walking back to the tube after a work event, down a busy central London shopping street. It was a cold and wet evening so I had my hood up. walking towards me was a boy I had been on a couple of dates with earlier this year. I'm pretty confident that he didn't see me as my head was covered, I felt relieved.

What is the best thing to do in these situations? Do people cross our lives for a reason or are these just a series of random occurrences, which deserve no afterthought? 11 million people live in London (I think) and we see the faces of many many strangers each day. Bumping into a face from the past can be unsettling and there are no rules on how to engage with someone you've been on one or more dates with. I'm quite sure that two out of the three boys above didn't see me and stupidly, the one I actively hid from was the one I really hope I cross paths with again.