Handsome

First off, I am feeling a LOT better. I visited a doctor and he gave me this decongestant that has worked WONDERS for me. Thank you for the e-mails everyone. It was nice to relax and take a sick day and have a chance to just unwind and get better. These long, strange hours take a toll and I think it all caught up with me.

Anyway, I had one of the most random and amazing weekends in a long time. It’s “Spring Time” in New York and of course when people say that it means it is getting warmer. Plus, we will get another foot of snow sometime in the future, because that’s the way it works right? (Damn you Sam Champion)

My Friday was stress free. A nap, trip to the gym, which was cut short because of my headache and sinuses busting through my forehead. I went home and took another nap, woke up and sat on my futon. Debated on going out to a bar, watched some shows on DVR and my buddy Irish Mike IM’s me. He was heading out to dinner with a bunch of girls he knew and wanted to know if I wanted to come along. I passes but said I want to go out to a bar later on. He said he would text me when he got out and that his “friend” Sean would be coming with us. He didn’t really explain, said it was a long story so I let it go.

I was having a few conversations with people while watching Grey’s Anatomy and my buddy Tony IM’ed me. We were just bullshitting, I haven’t finished reading his latest script he had written, and I think he was a little ticked off at me for it but it’s cool. Some how or another the word “handsome” came up. He gave me a pep talk about going out and I went and got all “handsome” and looked in the mirror.

For the first time in a while I felt it. I wanted to go out and have a good night. Sex or “hooking up” wasn’t all that was on my mind… I wanted to meet some cool people and just relax with great conversation.

Mike texts me saying that he is still at dinner and will be out “soon”. I decide to go to GYM and catch the USC-UNC game. I walk by to check it out, see how it looks and it was packed. I walk in, grab a Red Bull and Vodka to get me going and head back to the pool table.

I spot this guy standing against the wall wearing a black Nike jacket, White polo and grey zipper hoodie. He had an athletic build, short buzzed brown hair and a little 5’ o’clock shadow. He had a young face and was watching the pool game but was also looking around. We locked eyes and I decided to say hi.

I walk over, make some terrible remark about the game going on and say “I’m JP”

He responds, “Nice to meet you, I’m Grant.” In an Australian accent. I melted right there. We talk about the pool game and why he was in New York.

He had booked a flight and hotel with his brother and two friends and they decided to drop out 2 weeks ago and got their money back. He decided to come by himself and have a good time in New York. He was also making stops in Montréal, Toronto, Seattle and San Francisco. Not a bad vacation. We talked about Australia and soon our beers finished. I asked him if he had any American beers while he was here and he said no so I left and went and bought him a Sam Adams.

When I came back there were 4 “queens” standing around him and I gave him the beer. One of them turned to me and said, “You’re time is over, find yourself some new meat.” Right in front of Grant. Grants eyes went wide and kindly asked the guys to leave him alone, and took a step closer to me and made eye contact.

We kept talking and it turns out he was just “walking by the bar” and decided to come in not knowing it was a gay bar. He asked me if I was gay and I responded to him saying, yes I am gay.” I asked him if he was single. He said he was divorced and had a 3 year old son back in Australia. He gets even hotter. Remind me to use that line when I go on vacation somewhere. It wasn’t a line, he shows me a picture of his ex-wife and the kid.

By now two more guys have joined our conversation and I am explaining the NCAA tournament. One of the guys is a cop, asks us how old we are. Grant and I are both 26 and he quickly responds with a “31” but looked about 40.

I head to the bathroom and see this cute guy wearing a tan sweater and cool jeans watching the basketball game. Not just watching, but really into it. I do my business and stop to talk to him. His name is Jacob and works in finance. I tell him to come over and talk to us.

Jacob is from Kansas and went to KU. We talk about KU and how he was in a fraternity and only living in NYC for a few months working in the NY office of his companies firm. We are having great conversation and decide to head to another bar.

As we are leaving I think to myself, I went up and talked to two different and cute guys and both are leaving with me to go to another bar. I wasn’t thinking of it in a sexual way, it was just a great feeling getting to know these guys.

Barracuda was next and we kept drinking, took a Jager bomb and talked in the back part of the lounge. Grant asked me for my cell and I gave it to him and his cell worked here in the States.

The cop had followed us to the bar and kind of kept Grant for himself. Every time Jacob and I would try to get him away, the cop would give us a death stare. I got to know Jacob some more and he asked for my phone number.

Last call came and went and we all parted ways. I went home, kind of pissed at myself for not making a move but thought I had got two phone numbers and had some awesome conversation!