Not that bad
I’m not the most sociable guy in town. I’ve never been good with P.R. For me it’s work. It always needs an effort. Nonetheless that fact, in only one month, I made contacts and initiated relationships in this gigantic city where is not the easiest thing to do.
First, I met Peter. He is curious, wise and really sweet. He has a job that passionate me: editor for a publishing Company. After a drink at Vlada Happy Hours and a dinner, we met for a concert on lunch hour. Before his thirties, he just bought his first apartment, far uptown Manhattan, in a block of Washington Heights. We passed a Sunday together painting the living room, the biggest room of the place (chocolate brown and beige). And by the end of the day, we had a picnic on the floor with the best pizza I never had. The Latino girls made the dough in front of us in a small shop near his new place. I hope to see him again for Thanksgiving. He didn’t plan to see his family.
I met Rob and his Boyfriend, on Saturday night at The Eagle. And then, David: shy manner, devastating smile, expressive blue eyes. He is gentle and attentive and intense at the same time. I don’t know what I would do if I met a guy like him in Montreal. Maybe it’s easy to be the perfect guy in a holiday story. On Wednesday, we planned to pass the evening, the night and the brunch together (written with a crazy smile).
Once a month, David is DJ at the big Apple Ranch, a country-dance club. So, I left my shyness at the doors and arrived just in time for the lesson hour. I learned the two steps basis, the Barn Dance and the CC Shuffles. I danced with at least 23 cowboys (only one had a hat). And I met Jimmy, a landscape architect who works on a very interesting community garden project in Brooklyn. If we find time in the next days, he supposed to show me the garden.
All night, I didn’t stop to apologize for my bad English and for being a bad dancer. The answers I received were always the same: your English is better than my French. Some braves men tried a few word in French and that was horrible. And when I looked on the dance floor, I saw many new dancers as bad as I was. Some were even worse than me. I smiled, thinking: Well, in English like in country-dance, maybe I’m not that bad. I have to remember that I am the one who make the effort to speak a second language. And I realize that’s a big contract. Languages is more than a sum of words, it’s a culture, a colors, a way of thinking.
Time flies. Less than one week before I leave NYC. Without the frame of the school and my roommate leaved, I feel stressed and uncomfortable. But until now, everything has been well. I’m well organized and resourceful. The living is cheaper than I thought. With the money I saved, I paid myself a good ticket for my first musical on Broadway: Wicked. I’m working on the lyrics these days. I’m really excited. The show is on Saturday.
(written without Google Translate, corrections are welcome.)







