MTB

Happy New Year!

It’s been a while since my last entry and I’m sorry for it.  There’s been some haps with HC, but it will take a bit of time to write it all out so I thought I’d entertain you with a little story, which is not exactly a date but in the context of the singles scene, while I bide time to write about HC.

So, as you may or may not have caught on, I do subscribe to an Internet site, which is another venue for meeting people.  I’ve told you how I met some people and not how I’ve met others.  I think you get the drift.

Said site will have “events” that their subscribers can go to, to mingle with other “single” people.  The actual events vary from apple picking and wine tasting to just mingling at a bar.  One day, my good friend, CeCe, and I decided to try out an event — particularly a bar event.

In true NYC fashion, we made a conscious decision to arrive at the bar about an hour after the event’s official start time.

As CeCe and I were walking in, a shorter Asian man watched us walk by and said, “Aw man, why am I leaving now?”

I didn’t hear it, but CeCe told me what he said later.

Immediately after we walked in, we took a look around both wanted to immediately leave.  CeCe didn’t tell me that she did but I know we both felt it, unspoken.

We made a bee line to the bar and ordered up a couple of the drink specials: lychee martinis.

I’m not sure how the whole sign-up thing works for these events, but it sure seemed like no one was invited who were our “type” and seeing that it was slim pickins, we unanimously decided we needed to check out the upstairs.  The lychee martini never tasted so good and didn’t last more than two minutes.

CeCe and I walked upstairs and into the middle of the open space and immediately RAV4 latched onto us.  And when I say he “latched” on, he might as well have tied leashes to collars around our necks because we never left his sight or side the rest of the night.  He wouldn’t let us.  We had been completely monopolized by RAV4.

We had the usual small talk at first.  It was just RAV4, CeCe, and I talking in a circle.

Then things got a little awkward.

RAV4:  So did you two come together?  [Raises eyebrow]

I think we both furrowed our eyebrows back at him.  Not wanting to acknowledge what he was implying.

RAV4:  You know, guys are normally really into that thing.  You know, watching two women,. . . but I’m not.  I mean, if someone wanted me to watch with her, then I would do that for her, but I’m not really into that “two-women thing.”  Blah blah blah.

I think there was a long moment of awkward silence because both CeCe and I truly did not know what to say.

I broke the silence and said something like “I can’t believe you’re talking about such a thing with us right now when we just met you, like two seconds ago,” teasingly, of course.

We all sort of laughed it off and talked about other normal things but somehow the conversation turned into him talking about going to strip clubs and not really enjoying that, either.  Neither CeCe nor I asked anything  about those things or even brought up the subjects.  Completely voluntary information on RAV4’s part.

But, the weird thing is, as we were talking it slowly came out that he was a divorcee and had two small children with physical disabilities at home and talked about how much he loved them despite it being such a challenge, which, I thought, was very endearing about him, all of his babblings about women-on-women and strip clubs aside.

After a lot of him talking about nothing much, I made a hint that we needed another drink and tried to duck away to the bar but RAV4 came with and offered to buy.  I guess I couldn’t object to that.

I think we downed another martini and ordered another.  All three of us.  And all I could think about was that Crif Dogs was not too far away and CeCe and I could escape out of there, hop in a taxi, and enjoy a bacon-wrapped hot dog topped with coleslaw and jalapeno relish along with chili cheese fries.

So we told RAV4 that we were going to head out to grab something to eat.  He offered to drive us there.  Again, how could we object?  Sometimes having a normal car ride in the City is a nice thing.

On our way out, CeCe had to run to the restroom so I had to babysit RAV4.  All along, I knew he was into CeCe and plus, I was taller than him.  As CeCe was in the restroom, RAV4 went on and on about how cute he thought CeCe is and this and that and said, “I mean, no offense, I think you are wonderful too, but. . . ” and I really don’t remember what else he said, but no offense was taken, at all.  So I told him what a wonderful friend CeCe is and what a great mom she is and this and that — all sincere things because she is my good friend and I think the world of her.

At one point (I don’t remember when), as RAV4 was realizing we were going to have to hop in his car since he offered us a ride, he started to explain that his “usual” car is in the shop.  And since that BMW X5 is in the shop, they gave him a loaner, which is a Toyota RAV4 and to please forgive him for not having his usual car.

We clambered into his car, he reminded us again that he usually drives a BMW X5.

On the way to Crif Dogs, he revealed to us that he is 51-years-old.  We were sincerely shocked because he looks around 40, maybe, but it’s hard to tell when someone has orangey, leathery skin.

We got to Crif Dogs and he chivalrously dropped us off and went to park.  During that time, CeCe and I went in and ordered for both us and him.  The least I could do was buy him a bacon-wrapped hot dog and chili cheese fries for the ride and drinks he treated us to, although it was a ride in a Toyota RAV4 and not a BMW X5 (I’m only joking about that last bit – I am not that materialistic).

All CeCe and I wanted to do was stuff our faces full and head home, but it was all conversation with RAV4, “Man, I am so glad I met you two tonight — I am having so much fun with you. . . ”  Blah, blah, blah.

After we were finished eating, I offered to take a taxi home so RAV4 could take CeCe home and have some one-on-one time her.  CeCe wasn’t having none of that, which I knew she wouldn’t (Hahahahaha).  As we were walking out, she took my arm and said under her breath to me, “I am not getting a ride from him, I am going home in a taxi with you.”   She said this multiple times.

We stood outside on the sidewalk and said our goodbyes.  Then, RAV4 asked CeCe for her number as I was standing next to them looking up at the trees, down at the sidewalk, and all around during this intensely awkward transaction.

Happy New Year, Adam!