Encounter At A New York City Party

This story is Based on a gross exaggeration of aerrands for her. But I had no choice. It was too
hypothetical situation. Any similarities to personslate to go to another party.Searching for the
or events in your life is purely coincidental andkitchen, I realized her apartment was a lot bigger
rather pathetic.We met at a party in an Upperthan I had imagined. After circling through the
East Side apartment. I was eating cheese, shedinette and study several times, I finally stopped
was eating crackers. I offered her some of myto ask for directions. The guy who gave me
cheese, she offered me some of her crackers,directions, said he worked for the phone company
and pretty soon we were both eating cheese andand had been trying to find his way out of the
crackers.I gave her that stupid line "Do you comeapartment since he installed a phone in the
here often?" She said, "Yes, every day." Shocked,kitchen. I said, I didn't realize she had a new
I asked, "My god, is there a party here everyphone. He said, it wasn't that new anymore -- he
day?" She said, "No, I live here."Feeling somewhatinstalled it three weeks ago.When I finally returned
embarrassed that I was an uninvited guest,to the party room with two big bottles of Coke,
although "uninvitees" at singles parties are quiteall the guests had already left. She asked, "What
common, I said, "Your roommate invited me." Shetook you so long?" I said, "I took the long route."
said, "I live alone." That didn't make me feel anyShe asked, "Why?" I said, "I hate drilling through
better.But when she offered me another cracker,walls." She asked, "What am I going to do with
I felt safe.As the party wore on, it becametwo big bottles of Coke now?" I said, "Well, if it's
obvious that this was no ordinary girl. She greeteda space problem, I can take them home with
her guests with the warmth and enthusiasmme."Needless to say, the situation was serious.
usually seen only among married folks. For oneHere we were with two big bottles of Coke and
terrifying moment I thought perhaps this was notno guests to drink them. But, it's these kind of
a singles party, after all. But when I overheard agrave predicaments which set my neurons, brain
small group of people discussing how they hadcells, and alpha waves into high gear. Promptly, as
just come from two other parties, I knew I wasthough requiring no thought whatsoever, I
at a singles gathering -- married folks don't go tosuggested, "Hey, why don't we sit down and drink
three parties in one night. One couch is all theythem up ourselves?" Her face lit up. But her grin
need.I noticed the hostess carrying in a large trayworried me.For the next hour and a half, I was
of hors d'oeuvres with some difficulty. I rushed"force-fed" two huge bottles of Coke. It was an
over and asked, "May I help?" She asked with aunusual hour and a half, to say the least. I drank,
smile, "Eat or carry?" I answered with a chuckle,she talked. Between gulps I had enough time to
"Very funny, you don't expect me to carry thatsay, "I understand."As I swallowed the last few
thing." We smiled and we chuckled.After helpingdrops, dawn broke. With the rays of the morning
her place the tray on a table, I struck up asun filtering in through the shades, we exchanged
conversation. We found out we had a lot inphone numbers and I prepared to leave. She
common. She was from San Diego, I was fromoffered to make breakfast. But after a "Coke
Brooklyn -- but we both hated Des Moine. Shetransfusion," eggs hardly seemed appetizing. So,
was a zoologist, I was a computer consultant --not to offend her, I said, "I'd love to, but I'm
but all her monkeys were trained to readdouble parked."As we said good-by, we both
"hexadecimal dumps." She liked flying, I liked waterknew we would be seeing a lot more of each
sports -- but we could have a great time in a lifeother in coming months. And so we did. We had a
raft filled with helium. She liked classical music, Ilong and meaningful relationship. Actually, it was
liked punk rock -- but we could dye our hair greenlong. I'm not sure what it meant. But I learned a
and listen to the Boston Symphony Orchestra.lesson from all this: Coke can keep you awake all
She liked long, lavish, gourmet meals - I likednight.Josh Greenberger: A computer consultant for
breakfast in bed, lunch in bed, and supper in bed --over two decades, the author has developed
but, if we got married, we could have a bed insoftware for such organizations as NASA's
the dining room and be together all day. I justGoddard Institute of Space Studies, AT&T,
can't begin to tell you how much we had inCharles Schwab, Bell Laboratories and Chase
common.As we spoke, I complimented her on herManhattan Bank. Since 1984, the author's literary
rug. She said she didn't have a rug -- I wasworks have appeared in such periodicals as The
standing on her cat. I felt really stupid. Her cat feltNew York Post, The Daily News, The Village
a lot worse.She asked if I could run into theVoice, The Jewish Press, and others. His articles
kitchen and see if there was anymore soda in thehave ranged from humor to scientific to topical
fridge. I was afraid this would happen. I knew if Ievents. Visit his site: shopndrop.
helped her with that tray, I might soon be running