New York Thoughts

A compilation of the scribblings from my notebook so I could forever remember my first impression of the immense, intense, infamous metropolis.

-x-x-x

My thoughts at 7am today, after stepping off a 9 hour bus ride to walk the 8 blocks to my hotel, were something along the lines of "Holy crap, I'm walking the streets of New York...and I'm not being mugged! It's beautiful!"

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Where am I having breakfast today? On the corner of 51st and BROADWAY!

I'll sit outside in hopes of catching more of the atmosphere...

I <3 New York

-x-x-x-

From where I'm sitting I can see people pass by the Times Square Church, a fat kid just walked by with her mother and screamed "But I wanna go to McDonalds!", and my maitre d', Flip, exaggeratedly swings his hips with unashamed flamboyancy.

I must be in New York.

The sights, the sounds, the hustle, the bustle. People talk about it, you see it in movies, but nothing prepares you for that initial "get out of my way!" when you've lingered just a moment too long at the bottom of an escalator not even five minutes after you step off the inter-city bus at your final cosmopolitan destination.

Ah, New York. The vast, consumer-driven, whore of a city; God bless ya.

-x-x-x-

Oh my god I can see where The Late Night Show is being filmed.

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There's so much excitement just at this single intersection. For someone who thinks of herself as a die-hard city girl, I can't imagine how exciting the whole city must be. I can't wait!

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I just saw a traffic ticket being given by none other than a stereotypical, gum-popping, angry African American lady traffic cop to a man sitting in a nondescript black sedan. Eep! This is the stuff movies are made of.

My waitress, Melody, was thoughtful enough to bring me two coffees while sitting outside, in case I finished one. Free refills too. The bill came to $7-something. I left a $10 and a note - "Thank you! P.S. Melody, you're gorgeous!"

...yeah I hit on my waitress. But was too scared to sick around so I slammed down my money and bolted.

Brave, aren't I?

-x-x-x-

(change to desperate me not reading the signs - nothing actually happening. new york making me crazy)

I was watching this cute guy outside the hotel; he's inked (which is hot) and smoking (which is decidedly not). Lo and behold, he walks into the Sheraton and sits down next to me, at one of the computers in the lobby. He looks like a total hard-ass, but my phone has died and I can't log in to a computer because I don't have a room number yet. Damn.

*lean over*
*bat eyes*
"Excuse me, are you going to be using this computer long?"
"Yeah, sort of. Sorry."

He's so genuinely apologetic! Wow, those sleeves really distract from his sweet face and innocent eyes...

*lean over a bit more*
*raise eyebrows hopefully*
"Well actually, my phone died and I just need to plug it into a computer..."
"Oh sure!"

So happy to help! And so cute too...

I move to sit next to him and his computer screen. And about halfway through scribbling in this entry, he asked me for a pen! I gave him the one I was writing with - obviously so he could (a.) see how generous I am, and (b.) feel my warmth through the pen (I know, I know, it's a stretch).

He's looking for an apartment - a detail he did not have to share! I also gave him some paper - because I'm helpful and unselfish like that.

-x-x-x-

Wow. I just realised I'm a schoolgirl again. A clueless, desperate schoolgirl who hopes a total stranger is into her for no reason other than she leant him a pen. I'm crazy.

-x-x-x-

I should follow up next time something comes up. Well, he still has my pen! What should I say?...

-x-x-x-

Musing about the rest of the morning, I just realized that I arrived in New York at around 7am and have flirted with three people thus far - the guy who walked with me from the bus to the hotel, Melody at Ellen's Stardust Diner, and nameless-homeless-inked guy. And it's only 10.30. Go me! The day is still young and looks full of promise.

-x-x-x-

Bitch stole my pen.