Business in the Front...Party in the Back

The only time I really want my iPod to work, or a good book to be immersed in, is clearly when the batteries are dead, my bag is too small to carry a book, and the F train has just pulled away from the station as I am entering the turnstile. So here I am, sitting in hell (aka 14th St. Station) waiting for the F. I have a notebook and a pen, so I figure I will blog this date on paper while it's still fresh in my mind.

I am bitter right now, and I recognize that. It's hot, I missed the train, and I am WAY too sober to be anything but. Tonight's date was less than par. Not as bad as the first one of the week, and in fairness I'm probably being way too harsh on this guy just because I'm in a bad mood.

I get a text message from my date before I leave my apartment around 5:30, saying he is running a little late and not to rush. Ok. Good, at least this time I'm not the late one. So I figure running a little late means 15 - 20 minutes. I arrive where we were supposed to meet near Union Square around 6:20, exactly 20 minutes after we were supposed to meet. I am actually a little worried that I am going to be later than he is, but no this is not the case. So a little late in my book does not translate in 50 minutes late. No. Friday night I was late for my date, and I felt SO badly about it. This guy shows up not 15 minutes late, but 50 minutes late and doesn't even apologize for keeping me waiting. Nice, huh?

I need at this point to provide you with a mental image of my date. From the front, he's a very attractive guy. Short brown hair (or so it seems), nice body, well dressed... definitely not a disappointment. Now... I'm not sure if this qualifies as a "technical" mullet... but this guy has not cut his hair in 10 years. yes, that's right. The last time scissors came near some of his hair was 1996. Now, I say some because the sides of his hair were kept pretty short, and then the front, like where his receding hairline was starting (yup balding and a mullet, it's hard to pull that combination off) was the long part and that was pulled straight back and sectioned off in rubber bands, all the way down his back. Pulled back it was long enough that he could sit on it, I can only imagine what it looks like down. I'm not a hair-ist... I honestly don't care how much or how little hair a guy has, but he had about a foot of split ends, and I was just dying for a pair of scissors...

Anyway, I haven't let makeup or midgets stop me from dating, why should a mullet? So, we stopped into the tea bar that we met at (he doesn't drink... so no drunken dating tonight), and got some interesting iced tea, and ventured out into the streets of Manhattan. I asked him what he wanted to do... take a walk, sit in Union Square, try to find a restaurant... and he opts for taking a walk. We start walking up Park Ave. It's a really nice night. Comparatively to the nights this month, this by far is one of the coolest, most pleasant nights thus far in August (granted.. it's only the 6th.). We walked up to about 30th St. and decided to find a place to eat. We ended up going to Indian food, which was a good choice, I liked it a lot. I have only had Indian food a few times before, but it was a good choice. He's a little shy and seems a little reserved, and he really doesn't get (or react) to my sense of humor, so there were a few awkward moments. Some weirdness, which I'm not really used to anymore on first dates. I'm pretty good at filling any weird silences with my incessant talking. At one point he was telling me a story about how he had gotten lost in Manhattan thinking he was in Brooklyn, and for good measure I pulled out my NFT to use as a visual aid. Last night, when my sister was visiting, we went to the movies and purchased some swedish fish for the show. I'd say about half the bag had managed to spill out into my purse, which I didn't notice, until I took out my NFT and there was a swedish fish stuck to the cover. Hmm. I wonder how many more are in there... in the end I uncover about 20 swedish fish in my bag, and pile them nicely on the table. My date must have thought I was crazy at this point. Maybe it was because I wasn't drinking, or maybe it was because my date was SO shy and indecisive about everything... or maybe I am just bored out my f*n mind from these dates... but I decided to start making artwork out of swedish fish after dinner. I spelled out my name, and then my date's name, and then a picture of flowers, and some abstract sculpture artwork... it was crazy. I must have really lost my mind. I can't imagine what I would do if my date started playing with candy or food remnants in front of me. I would definitely not have been too keen on that. But at this point I just didn't care.

We left the restaurant and spent a good 15 minutes on the corner of Park, trying to figure out what we were going to do. I was really tired of suggesting things to have him just shrug and say he didn't mind whatever, so I decided we'd just walk towards the park and - worse case - sit there for an hour or so until he had to go. So, as were walking, awkwardly making idle conversation, I glance to my left and there is a beacon of hope. We are on the corner of 19th, and I suggest that we stop by Duke's to get some dessert. I was actually thinking about a drink... but in this case, Duke's has some good desserts, and it will pass the time. So we have dessert and I quiz him on 80's Trivial Pursuit cards that are on the table. Before you know it, it's time to go, my plan worked. We walked to the train, had an incredibly awkward goodbye, and ended my week of serial dating.

He really was a nice guy, and maybe he needs a second chance to see if he warms up when he's not so nervous (and has cut the mullet).