“Hey… listen– I’m going to be late. I can’t find my debit card! I’m driving to the gas station now to see if I left it there!”
I held the phone away from my ear as Junior rambled on and on about getting to my Manhattan neighborhood from Brooklyn, where he lived. Junior was a guy I’d met online and after a few phone conversations, he asked if he could take me out. I agreed. “I’ll pick you up Saturday at 8 and then I’m going to take you wherever you want to go,” Junior had said.
Now, it was Saturday at 9:15 and I was about ready to wash my face and go to bed. But Junior insisted that he was parking one block from the central meeting location I’d arranged. He also explained that if he hadn’t had to take time to look for his debit card, he would have been on time. At 9:30, Junior was full of apologies and compliments. “I’m sorry sweetie, man you look beautiful” he said. “It’s still early though… what would you like to do?”
“Well, there’s a new lounge a few blocks from here, we could grab a drink?”
“Sure, sweetie, let’s go!”
We got to the lounge and a doorman asked to see our ID cards. I pulled mine out and as I was preparing to step into the lounge, Junior touched my arm. “I left my ID in the car, let me go get it, my bad.” I let out a deep sigh and waited on the corner while he grabbed his ID. He jogged back to me “Sorry about that,” he said. I took a step towards the lounge and he stopped me again.
“You know– I’m only 20, right?”
I blinked. I had just turned 22, so two years wasn’t a big deal but– “What were you getting your ID for then?!” I blurted out incredulously. “You knew we weren’t getting in– that doesn’t make any sense.”
“I dunno sweetie, I just–”
“aaaand you told me we could go ‘anywhere’. You knew you couldn’t get into a club so why not just pick a restaurant or something? Why act like we could go ANYWHERE when we obviously can’t!” Clearly, I was tired and hungry because I had no filter whatsoever. “Look, it was nice to meet you, but this isn’t going to work.” I turned on my heel and headed back towards my apartment. Junior ran after me.
“Wait, CeCe… come on– I’m sorry I don’t know what’s wrong with me– why don’t we just grab some food here at that restaurant across the street. I came all the way from Brooklyn and I’d really like to spend some time with you. Please.”
I should have left him on the street, but I guess being almost two hours late, being under age and being deceptive wasn’t enough for me to cut ties (*eye roll* at myself). “Fine, we can grab a bite,” I said following him to the restaurant.
When we got inside, they were already busing the tables and closing for the night. A young waitress with a lime green hair net told us that we could order something to go. “You know– I’m not real hungry,” Junior said “lets just order what you want and I’ll pick off your food.” I wanted to say I don’t know you like that, but I was too exhausted to argue. We ordered chicken and two sides that we would take home and eat in my kitchen while we chatted. “Your food will be ready in a few minutes” the waitress said.
I turned towards the door, “I’m going to wait outside,” I said.
“Okay, you gonna give me the money?”
“Excuse me?”
“I told you I lost my debit card… Its Saturday and the banks are closed… I don’t have any money,” he said reaching his hand out for me to hand over some cash.
At that moment, the waitress came through the kitchen doors with our bag of food. “That’ll be $12.95″ she said looking our way. I motioned to him “You can deal with that,” I said, then I pushed open the door and booked it to my apartment, looking over my shoulder the whole way home.
I think that may have been my worst first date ever….
and inside was a link to Amy Haberland’s “
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