385. CITY BY DAY, BROADWAY BY NIGHT

Once dressed in my skirt and shirt ensemble, I slide on flats. I stuff my heels and cardi into my black handbag and bounce out the door for the City by Day, Broadway by Night date. For a change I don’t have issues with the train and land up at the hotel in 38 minutes. I kinda wish I picked up a coffee. But I don’t really want to breathe a grande skim latte sweetened with four equal packets all over Possible-Mate-From-Chicago.

“I think we should grab breakfast,” he suggests. “Sure, what about the Applejack Diner? It’s near Letterman’s studio,” I say. He agrees and we begin the short walk to the diner. “So you weren’t kidding about those halal carts. The line was around the block!” “You doubted Desi Girl?” I ask. He laughs. “No, I just find this place interesting,” he says. Interesting, to me, seems like a passive-aggressive word. It seems to imply, I think you are different, but I don’t want to be rude and label you, so I will call you interesting. I cannot tell you how many times I have been told Hinduism is "interesting". Ah, it's not interesting, it's a faith, you don't have to agree with it, but kindly respect it, like I respect yours.

We sit down and the waitress brings coffee (thank God). I order pancakes and bacon and he orders a three-egg platter breakfast. This is another reason why I like dating Punjabis, you can openly and boldly eat meat, and bacon (not really meat, mostly fat but whatever – still super yummy). “I could never be a vegetarian,” I say to Possible-Mate-From-Chicago. “Me either,” he replies. “I am not giving up bacon,” I share. He laughs. This I find rather refreshing. A date that thinks I am funny.

“So what would you like to do today?” I ask. “It is too late to see the Statue of Liberty,” I say. “Why? Is she leaving her perch for the day?" he asks. Okay, he is KINDA funny. “Noooo,” I say, “we needed to be on the first ferry out in order to go to the top. And if we are not going to the top, why bother?” I ask. He nods his head. “We can go to the Top of the Rock or Empire State Building. We could do one of those tour buses for the day. Ride the ferry to Staten Island…what sounds interesting?” I ask. “Let’s ride the ferry,” he says.

Okay, let's!