A Date? Or Not a Date? That is the Question!

Friday was a rough day. I was WIPED OUT by the teaching on such little sleep. Afterwards, I went to synagogue with NextDoorNeighbor for the kabbalat service. It was a beautiful service, but the hour of singing put just a little too much strain on my already taxed voice (after six hours of lecturing) and made it nearly impossible to sing at my voice lesson the next morning.

After the service, NextDoorNeighbor wanted me to go down to Chinatown with him for some Vietnamese food. I really didn't want to go. I was so fucking tired that I imagined myself on the brink of collapse. But he twisted my arm a little, and because I'm really bad at saying no, I ended up agreeing to the dinner. We took the train down to Canal Street and ended up having to walk a million blocks to get to the restaurant he wanted. I was annoyed. He was obsessing about some girl not calling him back. Once we got seated and I got some food in me, I had a second wind and ended up having a good time. In the middle of dinner, B called me. He was really depressed and was having a hard night. He asked if he could see me. I was majorly in need of the downtime, myself, so I told him to meet me at my apartment. I got back around 10:00 and we stayed in for the rest of the night. I miss having those nights with him--just lounging around and talking and being cozy. I miss them a lot.

The next morning, after my voice lesson, I arranged to meet Hammer at the library. On my way there, a gust of wind blew and shattered the glass frame on the bus shelter. The glass was everywhere. Being my mother's daughter (as Hammer pointed out), I felt responsible to make sure it was taken care of and called the city-information line (311) to report the damage. It ended up being more trouble than it was worth because they made me give a whole complicated statement and fill out a "service request" and had to take my name, address and phone number. All that for trying to be a good samaritan!

While we were on our way into the library, the Stallion called. I felt a little weird talking to him after our last encounter. He wanted to make plans for later in the evening, and I told him I wasn't sure if I would be free. I don't want to make things that easy for him! I don't even know if I want to see him at all right now, you know? Anyway, I asked if his girlfriend left town and he said that she ended up just staying for a few days because he's so busy with work. Whatever...

Hammer and I left the library at 6:00 when it closed. On my way home, I stopped in at Cheers. Saturday early-evening is one of my favorite times to go there because it's usually pretty empty, and BarMan is usually bored, and we can have a good conversation. It was emptier than usual this Saturday because of the pouring rain. I hung out there for a good three hours talking to him. He told me to try Jameson instead of Jack and I did. It was fabulous, although I felt a little disloyal. The Jameson was very smooth, whereas Jack kicks your ass and brutalizes you a bit as it goes down. (Then again, I think that's part of what attracted me to Mr. Daniels to begin with! (;->))

I found out some interesting new facts about BarMan--he's a trained dancer! I definitely would never have guessed that! But now that I know that, I can so see it-- he must have had boy-band dreams at one point. I think he would get along well with Bro-in-Law in that department! BarMan gave me some really excellent relationship advice and advice about life in general. (He even drew a diagram, but it's hard to explain and I'm too lazy to try). I really like him. PumpedUp came in at one point and I was the only customer in the place. Then my Super stopped by over there to help them fix the roof. After six or seven whiskeys I decided that dinner would be a good idea so I picked up a few slices of pizza and headed home.

Hammer tells me we had a long conversation at that point (around 9:30 or so), but I don't remember it. It's weird that I wouldn't remember since I felt relatively sober when I got the pizza. I guess the alcohol waited before it took total effect. Also, I usually don't get blackout periods after so few drinks. I hope it isn't a sign of any kind of physical dependency. The next thing I knew, I was asleep.

When I woke up, it was 2:30 in the morning. I saw that I had drunk-texted Narc. (Shit!) I hate him. I hate me too for having texted him. Ughhhh! What do you guys think I did next? Yep! I headed back to Cheers to continue the night. PumpedUp and FightingMensch cheered when I came in. I think they always have some kind of running bet about me closing out the place. I started up on the Jameson again and drank for the next hour or so, chatting with IrishBird, singing along and doing a few karaoke songs myself. I saw MarriedGuy there watching me, but I ignored him and didn't say hello. At one point, NextDoorNeighbor texted me to see if I was out and about. I told him to come meet me at Cheers, but to hurry because they were closing soon. When he got there, we talked for a while, and he tells me that I was also talking to the flirty Colombian. He says that I told the Colombian that he was "mean to me" last week (the Thursday night I was there with the Stallion, I guess). NextDoorNeighbor also tells me that I was wanting to call the Stallion and was really sad about Narc. He told the flirty Colombian to take my phone and hold onto it until I left so that I couldn't place any "self-destructive" phone calls. I don't really remember any of this part, but NextDoorNeighbor says that he left around 4:00 am and that I was still there, as they were closing up.

The next morning, my alarm went off, but I realized too late that I forgot to turn my clock forward. I was supposed to meet BigSis and Bro-in-Law at Penn Station to go out and see my brother. There was no way I was going to make that train! As I was getting ready, the doorbell rang. It was NextDoorNeighbor. He said he just wanted to make sure that I got up. I was still really very drunk and I couldn't find my phone. He filled me in on having given it to the flirty Colombian and said that if I didn't have it, the Colombian must. I managed to catch the next train, but I was really wrecked. There wasn't much I could do to camouflage it.

When I got to the hospital, BigSis and Bro-in-Law were there with my mom. My stepbrother was sitting up in a wheelchair (which was a new sight for me!), but he was fast asleep. Apparently, there were more pain-killer issues this week and for some reason, he was sedated. So it was more of a visit with my mom and BigSis and Bro-in-Law than it was with my stepbrother. BigSis told me that I looked like I had been through the ringer and that it was really obvious I had been out drinking. I'm sure it freaked my mom out, but she didn't say anything to me. Drinking is a big issue in my family. I felt guilty and tried to act as "normal" as possible. We stayed there until around 1:30 when my stepfather arrived. BigSis and Bro-in-Law had plans to meet a realtor in Forest Hills because they're looking to buy an apartment. My mom was going with them to help. Since it was in the direction of the city, and out of curiosity, I went with them to see the first one. It was right by the E-express train, so I left them after that and took the subway back into Manhattan.

On the way back to my place I stopped by Cheers to look for my phone. They were closed, but I tapped on the window and PumpedUp's dad opened the door for me. I told him I lost the phone and he called PumpedUp. PumpedUp said I lose something "every week." (Well, he's almost right.) I told them that NextDoorNeighbor gave my phone to the flirty Colombian. They said they'd call him. I went home, but a few minutes later, the doorman rang up. PumpedUp's dad had spoken to the Colombian and he did, indeed, have my phone. They gave me his number so I could arrange to get it.

I called the Colombian and asked about the phone. He said that he had walked me home last night and that I passed out on my sofa. He said that he forgot to give the phone back.

"Well, where do you live?" I asked. "I can come get it."

"I'm in Jersey, but I'll be in the city."

"You'll be in the city today?"

"Yes, I'll come bring it to you. What time do you want to meet? We can go for coffee, perhaps?"

(Was this going to be a phone exchange or a date? I kind of felt suckered into that one.)

I agreed to coffee and told him to meet me at 5:30 at a nearby Starbucks. When I went to meet him, though, he didn't show. I came back home to call him. It turns out that he forgot to set his clock forward too! I waited at my place and he came over at around 6:30. When he got to the door, he kissed me hello and gave me a hug that was a little more than the kind of hug you'd give to greet a stranger. (Uh oh...) His eyes were red and watery and I asked him why.

"I don't know," he said. "Maybe it's still from your cat."

(So he was in my house long enough to have an allergy problem? Uh oh....)

We set out for Starbucks where we sat and talked for about two hours. He is really a very nice guy. He paid for my coffee and was holding the door and being all chivalrous, so I think he saw it as a "date," but I wasn't sure how to think of the whole thing. I mean, I didn't dress up for him--in fact, I was in my "downtime" blue sweatshirt and very little makeup. I was also a little physically standoff-ish because I'm not sure what went down between us the night before. At some point, the conversation swung around to the topic of my drinking. I decided to test the waters to see what I could find out about the night before without making things too uncomfortable.

"I know I've been drinking way too much," I said. "Especially now with the frequent blackouts. I mean, I remember talking to you and NextDoorNeighbor and feeling just fine, but that's the last thing I remember."

He raised his eyebrows and widened his eyes. (Uh oh!) I really hope I didn't do anything sexual with him that I can't remember. I mean, from his body language and his vibes, I must have at least kissed him, but I'm betting that it didn't go further than that. He wasn't drunk at all, and I was wasted, so it would have clearly been "taking advantage" of me, and he seems too chivalrous for that. I mean, he was treating me with respect and trying to "court me" a little so I'm guessing that we didn't... I don't know. I'm not used to nice guys, so I guess I don't know how to read them.

Anyway, that's it for now. I told him I had to head home to get some grading done (which I do) so I'm off to do some work now. Also, my house is an absolute pig sty, so I need to straighten up a bit.

Hope you all had a good weekend!

lol,
Hyde

PS: I was listening to my Elvis Gospel CD and there's a really funny song which contains the following verse about Job. It always makes me laugh so much (especially the last line, and especially because it's so not what the story of Job was about!!!) Don't know if you guys share my bizarre sense of humor, but here it is:

Job was so sick so long
Till the flesh fell from his bones
His wife, cattle and children,
Everything that he had was gone
But Job he never dispaired
He knew that God still cared
Sleepless days and sleepless nights
Job said "honey, that's all right"

P.P.S: Scheizer! I think I just got the answer to my title question. I guess the Colombian does think it was a date. I just got an "invitation" from him to download MSN messenger (which I happen to already have), but he wrote:

hi beauty!!! I chose to come to my home rather than go to the movies, don't work so hard ok!
COLOMBIAN

Now what???