Type Dancing

The Men in My Life

There are so many men. Everywhere I go. New York, for instance.

I was minding my own business, doing research on my book on Broadway, walking to and from my hotel, grabbing a meal here and there, and a show. And I just kept meeting these men. And I met a few women, I must confess, but they are s-o-o-o much less interesting. ===:--}

Here’s my pal, Reynaldo. He works at Ta Cochina on 9th Avenue. Excellent Nuevo Mexican food. A wall covered in Frieda paintings, as well as works by other Mexican artists. Reynaldo is from Costa Rica and loves the variety of people you can meet in NYC.

Here’s a fire person on 8th and 48th. Just around the corner from my hotel. The sirens at this station went off every hour, on the hour, so I had to stop by and say “hi.”

Here’s a couple of fire guys in Hoboken, picture courtesy of my friends, Mark and Barbara. We were walking back from dinner at the City Bistro, and these guys were enjoying the cool night air on break from their hectic job. So, why not get a picture?

Here’s the gang on my last night in NYC. We all attended SIGHT UNSEEN with Laura Linney, which we all thought was fabulous. I don’t remember everyone’s names, but the gentleman shared his binoculars (we were in the nose-bleed seats). If you guys are listening, send me your email address!! And your names!!

A Single Blue Fin

After ASSASSINS Thursday night, it was still early, so I decided to try Blue Fin for a late dinner. I asked for a table for one, and was seated promptly by the manager who told me my server’s name was “mumble mumble.” I didn’t quite catch it. After a brief look at the menu, I knew what I wanted. I waited a few minutes, and someone appeared. “Would you like something to drink while you are waiting?” I ordered a glass of cabernet sauvignon, not even hearing the last part of the question.

I sipped my wine happily for a few minutes, and then the same server came back by and asked, “Would you like to order an appetizer, while you are waiting?” I ordered the Spicy Tuna sushi roll, which arrived in short order. It was absolutely yummy. I finished it, and the server came back by to ask me how it was. “Delicious!” I responded. He left immediately. I was beginning to wonder why they hadn’t taken my entrée order. Something about the way the server was so unobtrusive and quick made me think he wasn’t my server.

I was very close to finishing my glass of wine when I chanced to look across the table at the place setting on the other side of the table. There was a menu lying right in the middle of it. Huh. Then the thought occurred to me: do they think someone is joining me? I looked at my watch. 10:50pm. Hmmmm. I made a quick decision, downed the last of my wine, stood up, and walked to the host’s podium. “I’d like to take care of my check now, please.”

“Was everything to your satisfaction?” asked the host.

“No. No one ever came to take my order for an entrée.”

“I am so sorry.” The manager came up and he and the host had a quick conversation, and I gave the manager my credit card. Then on my left a woman started talking at me. “I am so-o-o-o sorry! I thought you were waiting for someone. I kept walking by, and you were sitting there and I thought I’d leave you alone because you were waiting for someone.”

I raised my eyebrow and looked at her. (At least I hoped that I raised my eyebrow – sometimes it works, and I feel it gives me a look of superiority.) “I told the host that I needed a table for one. There was a major communication breakdown here.” Then it dawned on me. “Are you my server? I was wondering who that was!”

“Yes,” she admitted. “Please sit back down and we will get you your entrée very shortly. I shook my head and told her that it was a bit late for me. The manager returned with my card, which he hadn’t run. “Your wine and appetizer are on us. Please come back again!” I promised I would come back, and took the manager’s card.

I was laughing as I left the restaurant. What a strange experience! The Blue Fin staff was quite sincere in its apology for what it admitted was its mistake, and the server seemed to be following a protocol of some sort, but it just didn’t work well with me. The server never approached me to ask me if someone was joining me or even to just say hello, so she never got the direct scoop from me. If she had, the communication breakdown would have been repaired before it became a problem. Of course, if the host had communicated clearly to the server that I was a table of one, none of the misunderstanding would have occurred in the first place. I wasn’t mad, I just felt like I flew under their radar. I wasn’t their typical client. Perhaps their customers would rather not be disturbed than asked questions about their social life, i.e., are you waiting for someone, or are you without a date and therefore eating alone because you have no one. Bah! As I explained to the server, it is awkward to come into a restaurant alone to eat, but it is quite doable for me. I’ve done it in Cambridge and NYC several times. It is quite doable and enjoyable. You get to people watch, and you meet people you would never meet otherwise. It is quite doable until something like this occurs and makes you feel like you are putting the restaurant staff out because you are not paired up socially. A sarcastic remark came to my lips, put I had let it pass through my brain without utterance: “Sorry to disturb your workflow! ===:--}”