We met through a mutual friend (another Chris) who was a lovely guy but edging on the side of crazy... Our friend Chris lived in Watford and had a shop in a garden centre that can only be described as "new age shit" with magic crystals that would heal you etc.

I ended up meeting Chris one day at Chris' shop... he makes everything into a joke so we quickly hit it off giggling to each other like school kids, taking the piss out of our friend Chris' new age shop.

Chris came from Birmingham and had driven down to this garden centre in the middle of nowhere, and I was living in Welwyn village next the the A1.

We had a great laugh and really hit it off, but I was in the middle of a move heading to Brentford and he was in Birmingham so we didnt arrange to see each other, just kinda went on our way. We did end up meeting a Chris' shop a few more times and then he came to see me in my new place in Brentford.

We kinda hit it off and I liked him, and I think he liked me, so we started to see more of each other... I did ask if we were dating and got a weird answer about him being "owned" in a weird family relationship so he would have to ask his "master" if we can date.... this was alien as hell to me and I remember going for some fun with LondonRopeTop (mr. Daniels) and asking him what all this was about.. he was as mistified as me. On my way back from this "fun" session I remember ringing Chris and having a conversation about this "family" thing and said it wasn't really for me, he re-assured me and said this was all sorted and he was now out of the family thing... so we started to date!

I loved Chris as he was technical and a bit like a puppy... in fact I think his username at the time was probably Doggo... and he owned a puppy hood! We spent weekends together and he would travel down from Birmingham usually going to central station to a club night (LondonBound). It was good fun, but Chris was living with his parents and doing up a house he had bought in Birmingham. I travelled up one weekend to see his house and it was a right mess, we could not stay in it, luckily I was just passing through... and he was not out to people including his parents. So we stuck to him coming to London and me hosting.

Having a serious conversation with Chris was hard work, as he would try and turn everythhing into a joke - exactly like my dad! We had agreed an open relationship as he was still playing with this weird "family" thing and owned by someone... I did not get it but respected it!

One day I had been at work in London (working for T-Mobile at the time) and had been to visit telecom tower for the new Microsoft Phone launch... (which turned into a pile of shit no-one ever bought). After the event I had agreed to meet Chris at central station... I was in my suit, but luckily this is apparently a "kink" so I was ok. Chris was in full puppy mode. I did not really want to go but had agreed with Chris, and was still very much in work mode. It was hard for me to have fun and did not feel comfortable in the environment, and Chris could tell. I told him I wanted to go home and got a bit of resistance but eventually we agreed to head back. He had the face on with me and said I was not nice to people at the event, I did not recall but as I was in work mode I was probably talking tech!

We headed back on the tube and did not talk to each other that night.

A few weeks later Chris had come down again to go to this event. I was starting to feel a little bit used as he had not been down for a couple of weeks and we had not spoken much. He headed off to the event and I think I tagged along, but again was not super comfortable and probably did not enjoy it. On the Sunday he wanted to go round the markets and I had some work to do so he headed off and I did some work. I had decided at this point I was going to end it, as I had tried to talk to Chris and had not got much in the way of a response, just childish like whining that it was all my fault because I had not even tried to enjoy the event. I don't think he realised I did not really enjoy this, but went to support him! Needless to say we met in Starbucks and I told him it was not working, and that we needed to stop seeing each other. He was a little upset, but pulled himself together and we headed back to mine where he grabbed his stuff and headed home. We agreed to remain friends as I still enjoyed his company.

After a few weeks we started to talk to each other again, but this time the conversation was more work orientated, and about other people. We ended up becoming almost best friends, chatting to each other about what was going on in our lives both personal and at work. We also ended up doing lots of projects together... we still remain close friends to this day!