Single In The City: The First Date – Four Years Overdue

The First Date – Four Years Overdue (A Sequel to the Cat and Mouse Series)

Beside myself with joy, I strutted out of my apartment a little after 8:40 p.m., knowing full well I was going to be late getting to Mid-town east from my home on the upper west side. Still, I was convinced it would be worth his wait. My weave was extra flowing, make up on point and yes, I did wear the proverbial red dress – couldn’t resist.  I arrived at the corner of Lexington and 49^th after 9.p.m. and promptly strolled into the Whiskey Blue – the adjoining bar. I scanned the room and could not find my date, Mr. L.A. Unphased, I headed into the hotel and made my way through the lobby to the bar in the rear end. Still no date. At this point, my heart did skip a beat, wondering if I’d been stood up, especially since I was about 15 minutes late. Finally, I whipped out my cell phone and with as much coolness as I could muster, calmly said “honey I’m at the W”. Matching my even tone, he calmly replied, I’m outside.

Outside the W on a Friday night can be a bit of a frenzy. Bell boys darting back and forth, yellow cabs seemingly whizzing by, only to come to a screeching halt, A-listers and glitterati buzzing. In the midst of the chaos, I looked around and still could not find Mr. L.A.  Slightly miffed, but still trying to pull off a “confident” act, I called him and said “honey, I’m outside the W..can’t seem to find you”. Again, he calmly replied, “I’m in the black car in front of you.” I then said, “what black car”? His reply, “right in front of you…you are wearing a red dress aren’t you?” My jaw dropped to the floor, lying before my eyes was a thing of beauty – a black Lamborghini Gallardo. Speechless.

Not to be outdone, I effortlessly placed my derrière in the front seat and greeted him with a sexy-flirtatious smile. Meanwhile, my heart was racing wondering…“who is this dude?” Really, I go from a hoopty (See Cringe) to a Lambo? Seriously, something is definitely wrong with this picture. As these thoughts are racing through my head, we are having a calm and breezy conversation and I’m smiling – cool as cucumber, grace at its finest. We cruised a few blocks down and west of Lexington, to a nondescript bar. Not somewhere I would have chosen or guessed, but it made Mr. L.A. all the more intriguing.

Our first date was purely surreal. I was lost within seconds, as he enraptured me in the story of his life. Who he was, what he was about, his values. That night, I heard a very un-classic “rags to riches” story, filled with twists and turns that left me in a daze. I found out that he was a Christian man looking for love, looking for marriage. No children, never been married, no drama! He asked incredibly personal questions about my life, desires, religious views, hobbies, habits, family values etc. Questions I would normally not answer, nor expect to be asked, on a first date. But there was something incredibly simple about his approach. Perhaps his willingness to lay out his life’s story on a platter gave me as sense of security, enough to at least share some of mine.  Nonetheless, I did hold back; I couldn’t possibly tell him everything on the first date! Ladies, never, ever do that….It’s a No, No.

Over sliders and a French Martini (strangely, I did the eating and the cocktailing, he wasn’t hungry), I found myself inexhaustibly intrigued by the man who has haunted me since 2007, after we danced at a wedding in Los Angeles.  Mr. L.A. was dapper and charming. His disarming air of humility was fresh and crisp, unlike any other.  And so, I was deeply drawn to him.  More to come…