Bad Cop
Height: 5’8ish
Age: early 40s
Stereotypical Irish looking NY cop
I think it is safe to say that we have all been stood up at one time or another. If you haven’t, you’re lucky. Me? I could write a book about that alone. “They” say practice makes perfect. If this is true I suppose that the perfect outcome of being stood up would have to be to not take it personally or feel bad about yourself and just go about your business. I guess I still need more practice because right now I feel pretty crappy.
I met him last week while picking up concert tickets. If there is one area of Manhattan that baffles me it is the financial district. The layout makes no sense. The streets have random names instead of numbers. I was extremely proud of myself for finding the pick-up address without so much as a Google map, but once there I needed to leave, preferably on the yellow line. I considered asking the navigational gods for a sign but figured the lines would be busy with confused Wall Street types asking which way to go. Being a woman, I am capable of asking for directions and lucky for me there was a pair of New York’s finest approaching.
Both in their late 30s, early 40s, one wore a ring, the other did not. We made small talk, they pointed me in the right direction and I gave the singleton my card in case he wanted to make sure I made it safely. If nothing else I knew I was giving him a story to tell his buddies. I was ready for my date with G-Thrasher and looking pretty cute, after all.
I heard from him a couple of days ago and when he asked if he could take me out I suggested coffee before his 10:00 shift on Friday, exact time and location TBD. Thursday, when I saw that Friday’s forecast called for early August perfection I chose to meet him at Crumbs Bake Shop. Home to NYC’s most immaculate cupcakes, there is no seating. It is, however, located steps from Union Square and walking distance to Washington Square Park. I couldn’t think of a better date. I went out with a detective last year who couldn’t have been a bigger tool, so I was looking forward to clearing the bad wrap of the NYPD.
I arrived at Crumbs ten minutes early, as usual. I half expected to find my helpful officer waiting for me. He wasn’t there yet so I stood outside watching the early evening foot traffic. I smiled, seeing couples pass, hand in hand, ready for the weekend together. Customers came and went. With each opening of the door the pristine chocolate cupcakes grew more appealing. With every passing minute after 7:00 I grew sadder with each passing couple. At 10 after I decided to move across the street. I had been standing there for 20 minutes and didn’t want the counter clerk to see my teary eyes through the window.
At 7:15 I gave up. There’s only so much unintentional abuse one can take from happy couples on a Friday night. As it turns out, it doesn’t matter whether you have no expectations for a date or if you think this guy could be “the one”, when you are stood up the result is the same; you are alone. Where once you thought you’d be spending the next hour or two in the company of another you are now left alone on the sidewalk in a city of eight million. Writing this at Washington Square Park now, I’m wishing I had gone in for that cupcake.
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