All the Single Ladies

As “A” mentioned, we are getting back in the saddle for 2011.  I started in mid-Dec while taking the LIRR to Long Island for a Christmas party.  I dated my little heart out on my iphone as I rediscovered my OKCupid account.  I emailed a few studs who had contacted me months before, but in my hung up life, I never got around to emailing back.  I had messages from:

(1)  A guy I called Grecian Justin Beiber (he says he is a musician, when I asked what type he said Greek Pop with bellydancing influences??)

(2)  A lot of creepers

(3)  Pastas! 

“Pastas”  seemed like a match from the get go.  I specifically told A & C on the train that I’d found my husband.  He and I emailed back and forth for about a week before I finally got the message I’d been waiting for, the “so do you want to grab dinner?”  OF COURSE I did.  I’ve been in a dry spell and I need someone to help me get over that DB crush who still haunts my drunk dialing brain.  On the Friday before Xmas, we made plans to get together Monday night.  I left work, giddy with a new date and on my way to meet up with Crush and his friends after a play in the West Village(I know, I know). 

C and I sit through said play, I agonize over my crushing predicament, and once play is over, we all head to neighborhood bar to commence imbibing.  I start with Makers on the rocks.  As I take my first sweet and boozy sip, I realize that across the room – there is someone who looks exactly like the online picture of MY Pastas! C confirms that it is him with an SNL “Ohhh.My.Gaaaawwwddd.”  Turns out he is there for a Tumblr meetup (go figure) and is friends of a friend of mine. 

This does not happen in NYC we all say.  In a city of millions, how do I run into this random guy I met online two nights before we are supposed to go to dinner.  With a little more liquid encouragement, the stupefied Ohmygawd-ing of C and the general embarassing brother syndrome of my guy friends, I pick the exact moment that Crush shows up to decide to make my move and introduce myself to Pastas as I see him outside –alone- lighting a cigarette.  It’s my perfect opportunity, right?

I head out into the cold, ask for a light, and then casually say “Hey, is your name X? I’m N, I think we are supposed to go out on Monday?”  It was a little awkward, but we talked for about 10 minutes when one of his friends that I happened to have met earlier walks out to join us.  We all talk- a little awkwardly, but not too bad, when a crazy man of course comes is distrupt out convo and the same time that his friend says “why are those guys staring at us?”  I turn around to look in the window and there is Annoying Big Brother and Crush STARING at me and Pastas whispering.  I die. Inside.  We all rush inside.  Pastas and I are supposed to meet on Monday.  We go to our two separate groups of friends for the remainder of the evening.

When I get back to the group, Crush asks me “so, you’re really going to go on a date with that guy.  Dates are horrible- they’re so awkard, blah, blah. Oh yea- I’m starting to online date too so that I can meet someone” – KILL ME, KILL ME, KILL YOU, KILL YOU, KILL YOU! 

I never saw Pastas leave, so l decide to email him and say something cute about how random it was we met in the wild, and I’m looking forward to dinner with him.  Keeping it cool and casual like I do, right? I guess not.  He wrote me back that his mom called and there was a death in the family, so he couldn’t do Monday night anymore.  No follow up dates, no have a nice holiday, nothing. I see this as a bad sign, but who lies about someone dying, right?  Especially a family member!  He has more things on his mind than dating me.  I figure we’ll reconnect in the new year. 

Last week, I email him back after hearing NOTHING from him.  I wish him well, hope things are ok, etc, etc.  A week later, he still has yet to write back.  I’m thinking I was stood up for a fake family death.  Now that’s just rude….and wrong.