Mermaids and Men

This was my first weekend back in NYC after 3 in a row out of town and I was ready to party. But of course come that Friday night there was nothing going on. On a whim I decided to text Charlie Kelly, from Ultra, whom had very randomly sent me a facebook message inviting me out during one of the weekends I was away. He responded that he was bartending at a bar in Midtown and that I should come on out. I was ready except I could find no one to go with me. I texted almost every single person I knew in NYC but everyone was staying in or out of town. I even debating heading over there alone but decided that was just way too creepy. I ended up staying in and feeling like a huge loser knowing I had missed my chance to hang out with Charlie Kelly (and infuriating MM and AD from Ultra). Not a good way to start off my first weekend back in town.

Luckily the next morning CB texted asking if I wanted to go to the Mermaid Parade. A pleasant surprise. I had read about this earlier in the week--it's a sort of makeshift parade on Coney Island where people make random floats and wear an assortment of mermaid/nautical themed costumes and march in a parade. Anyone can join in and it sounded both tacky and awesome. I met CB on the N train so we could ride the length of the line to Coney Island together. During the ride she explained to me that the other night the guy she had been seeing for a short (yet intense) time had decided they should take some time apart, which is why she hadn't gone out the night before. I felt bad for her, especially since she had a similar thing happen just a few months earlier. I also felt slightly guilty that I had a date that night--with who else, but Ibanker. I had been very excited when he had texted me the previous Thursday night asking if I wanted to get dinner on Saturday. But now I was wary and annoyed with him. During our texting from the night before he informed me that his bed wasn't set up in his new apartment yet. I told him he was welcome to come to my place in Queens (of course never thinking he would) and he shot my offer down with a fairly rude text back. It upset me and I debated canceling our date but decided that since it is impossible to tell tone via text that I would give him the benefit of the doubt.

I was trying to get the comment out of my head so that I did not ruin our date that night and the Mermaid Parade definitely helped. Toooons of fat people and gay guys in very flamboyant themed costumes, marching in unison was defintely a distraction. So was the scuzziness of Coney Island, what a dump. It was trashy and creepy and I felt very far from New York City. This did not detour most of the people in the city though, from coming out to witness the event--it was absolutely packed and took us forever to push through the crowds to get anywhere. Anywhere being the Nathan's hot dog stand. As soon as CB had mentioned one on the train, a little hot dog had been dancing in my mind. Of course the line was outrageous but I was willing to wait. When I finally made it to the cashier I went to town--a hot dog, large cheese fries and old-fashioned lemonade all for me please. After feeding my face I waited with CB so that she could meet up with her friend. And just her luck, while standing she spotted none other than the other guy who had broken things off with her. A twist of the knife. I was ready to run down the street but she stood there calmly and ignored him as he walked by. They had both clearly seen each other. This made me worried for the time I run into Cute Guy (I just know I will)--to me it seems even worse to say nothing!

After that awkward moment CB met her friend and I parted with them to get back on the train to head all the way to the other end of the N so that I could get ready for my dinner. I had of course chosen my outfit ahead of time and when I was all ready to go I decided that I was looking good. Short, yet classy dress, with wedges and blue Longchamp. I headed back to the subway knowing that I would be getting some looks. I put my bitch face on and looked at no one while on the platform. A guy and his friend about my age sat next to me on the train. I didn't pay any attention to them of course, as is protocol for me, until he bumped into me. He apologized and then used this as an excuse to strike up a conversation. I had a fairly long ride ahead of me with nothing to do and he was cute so I decided to be amicable. Turns out he was heading to the West Village as well and he offered to escort me to the restaurant since I wasn't sure where it was. On our walk through some streets that were on the darker side I thought that this could potentially be a terrible idea but I decided to throw caution to the wind. On the corner where the restaurant was he directed me and then asked for my number. I gave it to him as I looked around cautiously for Ibanker, though I knew he was already planted at the bar. It probably wasn't the best form to be giving my number to someone right before arriving for a date with someone else but I decided to relish in it anyway.

And as a spoiler--this guy did actually call a couple days later. I missed it and decided I would text him back the next day. Even though I complain about how no one puts effort in to call anymore, it turns out that when it comes down to it I can't do it either. He did respond asking if I'd like to go for a drink sometime, I responded in the positive and I never heard from him again. A slight disappointment but at least I have now been picked up in a random place, which seems quintessentially New York.

The date with Ibanker went well. It was very date-like. A double-date, in fact, with one of his friends from college and her lawyer fiance. Dinner was nice, although I listened more than I contributed to the conversation. At one point Ibanker put his hand on my knee under the table, which surprised me, in a good way. After dinner, the other couple left and we went to a nearby bar where one of my friends that I studied abroad with in Paris ended up meeting us. He had texted me that evening saying he was in town for a concert and I was surprised that he ended up meeting us out. He and Ibanker of course hit it off famously, as they are very similar--both successful, preppy, and stand-up guys. They even knew some of the same people. Friend didn't stay long though and after Ibanker wanted to head back to show me his new place. This also surprised me as I was expecting a big, boozy night out. The said new place was amazing, as I expected. On a quiet street in a nice building in the West Village. His room was literally twice the size of mine and could probably hold at least 2 king size beds, maybe 3. Luckily his bed was set up by now (he had apologized for the Queens comment earlier in the evening which I appreciate but haven't forgotten) but his curtains weren't. He had ghetto-rigged some towels across the two but apparently did not have enough. Across the third window he had hung a trench coat, open and facing the window, so that it looked like a flasher.

But the best part of the new place was this--it is located directly across the street from the building where they filmed the outside of Carrie Bradshaw's apartment in Sex and the City. Now he was pissed about this but I loved it. It was also strangely fitting. We are living in New York and go out together (but not yet establishing if we are a couple). He is well-off, elusive and kind of a dick (Mr. Big!). I write about us. And now he is living across the street from the Sex and the City house!

In the morning we went to a nice brunch around the corner. I tried to ignore the fact that upon our arrival he waltzed right in, completely ignoring the line of people waiting ahead of us and were seated. After I went home and on the train decided that I was pleased with his behavior. He had also asked if I would be interested in coming out to his Hamptons share for a weekend (yes, yes I had been waiting for this!). I actually was kind of sad to leave him. This also surprised me.

In order to take my mind off of it I tried to recruit someone to go to the Beer Garden with me, since the weather was beautiful. Surprisingly, the person who agreed was Prom. I hadn't seen him since one of my first weekends in NYC where we had gone out and which led to my one and only date with pseudo-guido. Anything was better than sitting around my apartment and he didn't end up annoying me like the last time. We sat for a couple hours drinking and having decent conversations. He had ultimately found out about my date with pseudo-guido. And he had seen him a couple weeks earlier--apparently pseudo-guido wouldn't even look at him, which I found amusing. So Prom was now ok in my book and I decided I would be willing to hang out with him again. A surprisingly successful weekend....