My New York Crackhead Cowboy

My Time Out New York magazine came today, and I cannot express how excited I am to have access to the summer's complete line up of concerts and movies at my fingertips. I literally ripped the calendar from the interior of the magazine and posted it on my refrigerator. Summer is one of my favorite times of the year for this very reason...that and the fact that I can get a tan most any day of the week and not look like Powder. I have been bold enough over the last few weeks to wear skirts without tights. On my commute to work, I take one look at my bare legs, shriek in horror and wish I would've thrown in a pair of Legs for good measure. Maybe it's bad lighting...maybe I'm a Cullen...it's hard to say. Even though the weather is still in the 60's here, we have had a few good days that give me hope of sunshine and warmth. I shouldn't complain about the cool weather, because I plan to go to Vegas for July 4. I'm sure I will fry like an egg.

Feeling very grateful tonight for the recent development in friendships with some fabulous women that I have met through my small group here. I had dinner with one tonight at Brother Jimmys, which is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to eat in the city. I think the owners must be from North Carolina, because there is Tar Heel paraphernalia everywhere. It's the best bar-b-que in the city, and comes with your choice of sweet potato fries, baked beans, fried pickles, fried green tomatoes, cole slaw and of course....sweet tea! The music played is southern rock, and they give a 25% discount on Wednesdays to anyone with a southern I.D. It's pretty much paradise.

Hayli and I had a fabulous dinner, and what was even more enjoyable was our conversational topic. We both recently completed the Daniel Fast, and were so impressed with how effective the process was, that we have collectively decided to adopt the principles in another area of our lives...dating. It is not as difficult to be a single woman in New York as it seemed to be for both of us back home (she is from Texas), but it still is an issue that consumes our thoughts more than we would like. Given our mutual desire to eliminate this distraction from our lives, we are in the process of deciding on an appropriate time frame in which to refrain from dating. Whether it be six months or one year, I feel like this will be a productive use of time for both of us.

It would be wrong of me to complete this post and not mention the jewel of a man I saw on the train on Monday. I was taking the 4/5 up after a visit to Brooklyn during rush hour, so needless to say, it was packed. There was a gentleman sitting across from me who appeared to be on crack. A sweet man, but a crackhead, nonetheless. He was so jittery and kept offering his seat to women as they would board the train. When he finally sat down, he looked straight at me (bare in mind, I have my ipod on) and screamed "Hey you...Smile! It ain't that bad. You know why it ain't that bad...because you ain't dead." Well, Mr. Rhinestone Cowboy (he was wearing a cowboy hat with these words across the top) I thought, you are right. So I did what any good natured southern woman would do, and I smiled. I was hoping this would be enough to pacify him, but no, no...he continued on with his conversation. He told me that money would not make me happy, and that he had more money than anyone on the train. He also told me not to get married, because my husband would just cheat on me. He said "I have two wives, and six children between them. They both know that if I see an attractive woman, I'm not holding back." I didn't know what to do...look down...look up...look at my Blackberry. Everyone was watching me for a reaction, but all I could do is nod. I learned so much that day on the 4 train. So much about life...so much about love...so much about the long term effects of crack cocaine. I will treasure that memory forever.