One for the books.

Finally, a real date with every expectation met, not a single second thought, simple, easy, conversation, a real connection. Ok, I'm getting ahead of myself. I had an A-MAZING date Friday night... which trickled into a wonderful weekend. I'll start with that, we'll see where this goes. I was really freaked out by the whole Israeli thing. I even stalked a co-worker down in her classroom to ask her, "what do Israelis like? What should I do on the date?" She has spent time in Israel, and has dated a few Israelis, so I felt she was the best expert on this one. Like they are a different species or something... I totally had myself way too worked up over this one.

We met up at the Museum of Natural History, it was raining and we were supposed to meet by the entrance but I didn't know if he would be inside or out. I waited outside for a few minutes, and then went inside. I saw him, or someone who I thought was him, but he was talking to a guy. They looked like they were friends, so I couldn't imagine that was him. But it looked just like him... and I checked my phone, and there were 2 text messages from him, saying that he was inside waiting. So... I texted him back, to see if that was him, and sure enough, it was. So I walked over to him and his friend, who were speaking in Hebrew. Great, another experience like the one in Peru where I felt like a third wheel and that everyone was talking about me in Hebrew. But the Israeli explained to me (later), that he had just met this guy, and he had just come up to him and asked him if he was Israeli. Weird. Anyway, so the Israeli and I go to get our tickets to the museum. We were there to see a jazz show that the museum does on the first friday of the month, but we had about an hour before it started so we decided to walk around the museum for a little bit. We talked, and at first I had a hard time understanding him, and felt like I was limiting my own vocabulary and how I was speaking because I thought he wouldn't understand. I quickly changed that when I felt like I was talking to a 2 year old - and I didn't want him to feel that way. The museum was a great ice breaker, I had never been before and neither had he, so we were both a little amused and interested at the same time. Talking about the exhibits, I learned some interesting things about him right off the bat. First of all, he's well educated, with degrees in psychology, sociology, and teaching - and he also mentioned something about anthropology. He lived in South Africa for 2 years when he was growing up, he speaks 6 languages - Hebrew, English, and Russian - all fluently. Spanish, French, and Italian he can get by in pretty well. I was impressed. The museum closed about half an hour after we got inside, and the security guards had to practically force us out. It was nice looking at the exhibits, even though we barely got to see anything really. We went down to the planetarium area where the jazz show was taking place. We walked around for a little bit, and decided to go see the show that was playing in the planetarium, about cosmic collisions. The show was quite good, and I had been wanted to see a show in the planetarium for some time now. We walked around afterwards, and looked at the relative size of elements of the universe compared to the Hayden sphere. (It took us both a while to realize that the Hayden sphere was the large sphere in which the planetarium was housed, and was right in front of us. We both felt pretty silly when we figured it out.) We got some tapas and settled down at the base of the planetarium to catch the 7:30 jazz show. It was good, and we chatted the whole time. Before I knew it, the show was over, and once again, a security guard was forcing us to leave. We decided to walk down Columbus in the rain, where I proceeded to get my feet soaking wet due to poor footwear choices, looking for a place to grab a bite to eat. We ended up walking to Columbus Circle, and going into the big mall there (aka Time Warner Center). We walked around a bit where the Israeli started posing logic riddles, I got the first one off the bat, but faltered on the second. Disappointing. We decided instead of spending an arm and a leg at a mediocre sandwich shop, we'd go to Whole Foods and gather some prepared food and have a mini-picnic at Whole Foods. We had a great time just shopping for the food, finding we like so many of the same things, it's so nice. I feel like we're so compatible. We ate, and talked about serious things - like past relationships, etc. - and joked about not so serious things. And before we knew it, we were getting kicked out of Whole Foods as well, because they were closing. So we closed down 3 separate places over the course of the evening, but still it was only 10:30. We'd been on the date for 5 hours at this point, so it would have been feasible to call it a night and go our own ways back into Brooklyn.

He suggested that we take the train together, even though it would have been easier for me to take the A/C home, and him to take the Q home. We decided to take the 1 to the Q, and I could get off at the Atlantic Terminal, which is a little longer of walk for me than the A/C or F/G would have been, but probably about the same distance as his apartment is from the Q. I sometimes forget how lucky I am to have so many trains within a 15 minute or less walk from my apartment. The 1 train however was PACKED, like rush hour, can't move an inch packed. We smushed in, and stood uncomfortably close to each other and about a million other people on the train. We transferred at Times Square to the Q, and I made a comment that I thought the Q was going to be as crowded as the 1. The Israeli disagreed, and we put a wager on the table. If I won, there would be no consequence for the sole reason that I could not think of a single thing to wage... and if he won, I would have to read aloud to him from the book he was reading on the train. He won, and the train was practically empty. So I read to him from Oracle Night by Auster, which I hadn't read before, and he was fairly close to the beginning so I was able to pick up on the story very easily. I really love reading aloud, and probably would have done so even if he hadn't won the bet. To any onlookers, we were a couple, or very close friends, who know each other well enough to be so intimate. That train ride we shared, it was something so simple - but as I see it unfolding - will define whatever future this relationship holds.

As we approached Atlantic Ave, he asked me if I wanted to come back to his apartment. I was hesitant because it was getting late, and I knew from his apartment in Midwood, I'd have a long train ride plus a decent walk much later at night. But I went anyway. His apartment was nice, in a very residential Jewish neighborhood. He played me some Israeli songs, and we talked about music and more. After about 2 hours of just hanging out on his couch, he finally kissed me. What seemed like seconds later (but really was hours), it was after 4 in the morning, and there was the undetermined matter of how I was getting home. I first figured I would take the train to Atlantic Ave, and just walk to my street from there. But by the time the train came and I got to Atlantic, I would have gotten home until close to 5:30 or 6 in the morning. The Israeli insisted that he was going to walk me to the train, and asked me if I wanted him to ride back with me and walk me home. I assured him that was unnecessary, and then considered taking a car service home. He said he would split the cost of me if I did, which he explained that I shouldn't have to pay for staying late at his place. When we figured that a car service would be 30+ dollars, I decided against it. And I told him I'd be fine walking to the train. He asked me if I wanted to stay over, to which I said I didn't think was a good idea on a first date. He rents his apartment from an orthodox family, and the bedroom set-up is with 2 twin beds, so he assured me that it would be fine, we'd each have our own bed after all. I decided to compromise, since he wasn't going to let me walk to the subway on my own that late (early?). I told him I would sleep over for a couple of hours, and then once it was light out, in the morning, I would walk myself to the train. He insisted that I wouldn't get up before noon without an alarm, but I know myself. Sleeping in a strangle place, fully dressed, with someone I hardly know, I wasn't going to sleep very well at all. He bet me (we seem to like to bet?) that I wouldn't be able to get up early without an alarm, I insisted that I would. He didn't want me to leave early, which is sweet, but I had so much to do on Saturday, I just couldn't spend all day in bed. So he bargained, I could leave if I got up on my own, without my cell phone or anything, but if I woke up because of my phone, I had to go back to bed, and try to fall back asleep. I knew I'd be up early enough and I didn't count on anyone calling me before then and my phone was in coat pocket, not even in the bedroom. Even if someone did call me, I wouldn't be able to hear it.

I slept for about 2 and a half hours, not very well either. I woke up around 7:30, and contemplated whether or not I should wake the Israeli or if I should just leave without saying goodbye. As I laid in bed, around 7:45, I heard my phone ring. The closet where my coat was must have backed right up to the wall where the beds were, and the walls were thin. I looked over at the Israeli, he was still asleep. I listened to hear if the caller left a message, because that would have woken him up. About 15 minutes later the phone rang again. I knew it was my roommate and she was concerned because I had been out on a first date with a complete stranger and hadn't made it home the night. She wanted to know I was alive, rightfully so. I felt bad, so I got up as quietly as possibly and didn't seem to wake the Israeli in the process. I talked to my roommate as quietly as possibly, and as I was getting off the phone with her, I heard some stirring coming from the bedroom. As I walked into the room, the Israeli had his hand over my glasses which were on the night table next to his bed. He told me I cheated, and had to go back to bed. I laughed, insisted that I had been up anyway, but fair is fair, and I agreed to go back to bed for an hour. He couldn't fall back asleep, and neither could I, so we talked for a while, and made out a bit, and eventually I got up and went home.

I hung out with a good friend on Saturday, we went to dinner and a movie, and we got back to my apartment around 9:30. As soon as I got home I noticed I had a text message and a missed call from the Israeli. I texted him back after my friend left, and he invited me over to read more of the book with him. I thought that was such a cute invitation, and I knew that my going over there after 10 at night would result in my staying over. I decided to go, and drove over to his apartment (which saved me the hassle of train travel). I read aloud for a little while from Oracle and then we tried to watch Y Tu Mama Tambien, but after only 2.5 hours of sleep the night before, a french movie (on edit: my sister was kind enough to point out that this is a Spanish movie, not French. I was half asleep, it's all greek to me!) with subtitles wasn't going to be easy to manage. Instead we made out for a while, and went to bed relatively early (relative to the night before, probably around 2:30). We woke up around 9:30 and spent the morning in bed. It was so nice, and very comfortable very fast. I read more of the book aloud, we cuddled, and kissed and as we were lying together, it dawned on me that I had found someone who complements me so well. In many many ways.

I had been so worried about the fact that he was Israeli, I was almost ready and willing to write him off without getting to know him. Instead, I got to meet a sweet, caring, funny, amazing guy... who for some reason, wants to continue seeing me as well. We have plans for Wednesday night later this week.

I was supposed to have a date with the acupuncturist tonight, but he cancelled because he had a lot of work to do. I wasn't too upset about that, all things considered, and it doesn't look like we'll have the time to reschedule again until the week after this one coming up. If things continue with the Israeli, I will have to end things with the acupuncturist. But I'm not putting all my eggs in one basket, yet.