Hammer-philia

Most of yesterday was really hard. I got up very very early in the morning to run in a race for colon cancer. It was 4 miles, which is quite a workout. I did the whole thing, and made an all-right time of about 45 minutes. Afterward, I went out with my friend, Angel, who also did the race. We went to a diner and had a nice talk.
When I got home that afternoon, I felt like I had a runner's hangover, if such a thing existed. I was depressed and nauseous, so I took a nap. The "hangover" did not disappear and when I got up I fel worse than ever. I browsed for some online dates, but was not super interested in anyone. I was feeling alienated from Hyde and mySister, both of whom forgot their cellphones. I finally got to talk to Hyde (What a relief!) and she was very sick! (Feel better Hyde-y!)
Anyways, I figured that some food might help out my cause. I was realy missing the Wizard profoundly, since he is a very good runner and I know he would have been happy for me. Plus, his birthday is today or yesterday or something. I went to the grocery and walked in circles for about 30 minutes till I found my little pile of things. It was really only one bag worth, and groceries in new york are small anyway. So then I left. I felt really down. So down and hopeless. On my walk back home, I even texted the Wiz: "I really really miss you, every day." I knew that I wasn't supposed to have done that, so I called Hyde and confessed in a small, tearful voice.
Then, As I was heading back to my apartment, everything changed. I saw that guy from Saturday night, the one who was "stealable" with the rabbit-woman. I had eye-contact as we passed each other. I was feeling so low, though, and needed to turn things around for myself. I decided to literally turn around and folllow him. (We had a major eye-contact thing going on at the piano bar on saturday, and so I felt some strike of fate.) I followed him all the way down bleecker street until I caught up, and went to the pizza place that I was maybe going to eat a slice.
"Sing-Man!" I called his name. "Sing-man!"

He turned around. "Heeey! You're the girl I just passed on the street. How do I know you?"
"Yes, I'm Hammer, from the piano bar the other night."

"Wow, you sure look different."

I was disheveled, with absolutely no makeup on. I was wearing ugly cacky pants, that were crinkled up and about 5 sizes too big. My hair had not been blowdried and it was up in a messy ponytail and flying every which way.

"I was just heading there-- come with me, let's have a drink."

"B-but, I have my groceries...."

"Don't worry about it, let's hang out." I was up for it. Actually on my lonely walk home before I saw Sing-man, I was thinking that Broadway showtunes were just the sort of thing that I needed to distract me from Wizard-ville. We got to the bar and he immediately offered the drink. He said that he was already tipsy, so much so that he almost tried to shake the piano-player's hand....while he was playing. (I was kind of glad that he was already a little drunk. Maybe he wouldn't notice the tears in my eyes, and also maybe he wouldn't think it was quite so strange that I followed him.) He grabbed my grocery bag and asked the bartender to put it on ice. He thought it was cute and unusual that I had bought chicken. ("No one cooks anymore," he said.)
I found out a lot about him: he's a partner in a lawfirm, his first cousin is a famous intellectual, and there's a famous rabbi in his immediate family. I cried at some of the songs, but I tried not to let him see, although maybe he did. But he kept plying me with gin and tonics whenever my glass emptied. During the first few songs, he gently took my elbow and pulled me toward the small group surrounding the piano;it was sweet. During another really moving song, he rubbed my back for a second. It was just right, and I felt like we were the best of friends. We wanted to stay until the end of the piano-player's set, so we stuck it out for another hour. I was hungry by then, and although I was thinking I would have a slice of pizza around the corner, he had loftier things in mind. "How about Sushi Samba?" He asked! (That's a pretty high-end spot, but anyway...)

"Sure," I replied. We ordered some sushi and sake, and talked. He expressed a lot of anxiety about being older than me. "You're in your 40s, right?" I said.

He said, "yes, I am above 40..."

I said, "dont worry I have dated older people." (He kept worrying that he was older than my dad.) After our sushi, it was time to go. I told him about the best pizza in town, and I bought him a slice. Sing-man was worried about his 3 dogs at home. So he walked me home, gave me a nice hug and kiss on the cheek-- and then on the lips-- and got in a cab. He called immediately: "Did you get home safely?" he asked.

When I got home, I texted him: "1. How was the pizza? 2. How are your dogs?" He wrote back about 30 minutes later: "Pizza great but got on my shirt in the cab dogs are adorable and come to think of it you are too" WEEEEEEEEEIRD! I have a micro-crush on him, although his personality could become borderline annoying at a certain point.
I wrote back: "Sorry about the sauce. You are nice. And exciting." SOmetimes I can actually be un-sarcastic, and I just say how I feel. That was the case with this texto. So, there's the story. Hope you enjoyed it. Sing-man sure took my mind off the Wizard, and I think I have a new friend!

disclaimer--- I don't need any advice or opinions on this story. It's just a story, mostly for Hyde to read.

Love Hammer







Sing-man, in his at-work mode!