Sympathetic Harmonics 2 - The Fateful Subway

I can’t help but muse about an event that was more than coincidental, again.

I was out and about on Friday evening. Dance plans had failed to come together, so I was resolved to only coming into the city for drinks with O and his visiting Australian friend M. Being frightfully responsible and knowing that there was no way I’d dance myself to sobriety, I opted to leave AutoLove home and jump on the subway.

Drinks were uneventful, save for the fact that O bailed on M and me at our first bar, Phoenix. O was still feeling the residual effects of a bad reaction on Thanksgiving and had to bolt. O texted as soon as he was home. However, he’d left me to entertain M. I was more than happy to oblige. Australians are good fun and it wasn’t be the first time O had left me alone with Australians.

M and I trekked over to Urge. Great conversation. M is really sweet, intelligent and and handsome to boot. If ever I needed a barrister, he’d be the one for me. After two beers, we called it quits. Well, we’d had enough of the softish and round dancers, gyrating their pudgy asses and flaccid penises in our faces.

I put M into a cab, sending him along to his hotel. In hindsight, I should’ve taken him to mr. Black but then I would’ve missed an appointment with destiny. I’m getting to it, hold your horses.

Stopping by the office for a pit stop, I also picked up a box I’d left there for ages before heading off to the subway.

Arriving on the platform and as luck would have it, the D train, was NOT running at this station. The suggested alternate route to Brooklyn said go upstairs and grab the 6 to Canal Street to connect with the N. I can sense non-NYers’ eyes glazing over with these nonsensical train instructions. Hoofing up the stairs, I found the 6 platform taped off from access. The gentle hand of fate was being rather forceful now. Back down the stairs to the first platform I went, to catch the F train which would connect me to the N, the train home.

The F train arrived and I bounded on board. Well, I didn’t really “bound” per se, but I was happy to be on my way. I dropped into a seat and snugged the box beneath my arm. If you must know what was in the box, look here. Sufficiently yawn inducing, huh?

Anyway, the train pulled into the next station before I scanned my fellow riders. I looked forward and then back. To my surprise, I found my friend R, looking sulky and glum. I tucked the box under my arm and sidled up to him, saying “hello” and “what the hell are you doing here?” in the same breathe.

While he was shocked to see me, he seemed thankful to see a friendly face. R’d found himself mass transiting home after getting into a yelling match with his friend at Snaxx. It didn’t help matters that his partner sided with said friend. In a fit of frustration, R stormed away, walking through the city from Chelsea, downtown to the East Village, eventually boarding the train car where I’d found him.

Our paths had started to intertwine early in the night. He’d stop for a bio break at Phoenix earlier. That damned fickle finger.

R exclaimed, “I’ve had enough of him (his partner) and J (the friend) can bite me.” I’m paraphrasing.

Needless to say, I couldn’t let him travel alone in his current mind.

I offered him to come back to my place and I’d drive him home. I felt compelled to since this meeting was more than chance, however I was more than happy to help him and talk with him. Not to mention, I was starved and wanted accompaniment to grab a nice, greasy burger and fries at Vegas Diner, best Brooklyn eatery after 2:00AM yo. It’s been a long time since I’d had one.

Getting home, I found the BF wide awake. I informed him that R was with me. R, coincidentally is part of the BF’s drinking court at GYM bar on Friday nights.

Wasting little time and assuring the BF I was capable of driving, I hopped into AutoLove and headed over to Vegas Diner.

Over my pizza burger with fries and his scrambled eggs and ham, we talked out his frustrations with work, with his partner and some generally disturbing news about mutual friends. Saddening that the whole Brooklyn crew has become fractured, so lost. Sigh. Something for me to fix. I feel like Jack.

After we were both sated by our meals and R assured me he’d be coolheaded when he spoke with his partner, I dropped him home in Gravesend.

Getting home at 3:30AM, I crawled in to bed, feeling I’d done a good thing. But still so much more to do.