The eve of my 30th birthday is approaching, though I am not the first of my friends to reach this milestone. This weekend Nigella and I hit the town to celebrate my friend Jay's big three-zero. He decided that 310 Lounge on Bowery would be the place to kick off this next chapter of our lives.
Nigella and I drank, danced, and were very merry. As we performed our best choreography to my new favorite party song, Timbaland's Carry Out, another party goer made his way up to us.
"Hey, how are ya, I'm Phil", Jay's friend introduced himself.
"Hello. Nice to meet you, my name is Frankie", I replied. He was about my height, shaved head, large, though construction worker solid, and very attractive hazel green eyes, which I noticed when a light hit his face.
"How do ya know Jay?", he asked.
"Oh we have been friends since junior high", I informed him.
"You went to I.S.34 too? You probably know my younger brother Carlos. Carlos Figueroa. If you're Jay's age then you were all in the same class", said Phil.
Oh no, a Staten Island guy, I thought and yes, of course I went to school with his brother. Everyone on Staten Island is separated by perhaps 1/2 a degree.
"Oh you're from Staten Island. Yes, I know Carlos. He used to torment me in band class," I said, laughing, "That's funny. How is he? Please tell him that I said hello". I was not very impressed now that I knew that Phil was a Staten Island guy.
"Eh, ya know. He is ok. So who are you here with?", asked Phil.
I introduced him to Nigella who was now chatting up a Dwayne Johnson look a like.
The clock continued ticking away, closer to my thirtieth year and I discovered that Phil was actually quite nice, seemed to have some values, and not a douchey Staten Island punk.
It was getting late and Nigella wanted to stop for pizza on the way home so I said goodnight to Phil. I gave my number to him when he asked; Jay could give all the details and a character reference to me tomorrow. That was the great thing about meeting a guy in this type of environment. I knew Jay's opinion would matter most as he is one of my oldest friends; he would not steer me wrong.
While enjoying a goat cheese pie at Lil' Frankie's, Nigella commented, "So, you and Phil seemed to hit it off."
"He is nice, though...he is from Staten Italy", I informed her.
"Oh no. Run now. Don't do it! Once you escape the bubble, you don't begin dating people who live inside the bubble. You don't see me hooking up with guys from Rockland county", advised Nigella.
"I gave him my number, we are not buying real estate together. We'll see what happens. If Jay is able to vouch for him then he could be fine", I reasoned.
As the sun was rising on the day after Jay's 30th birthday and crept closer to rising on mine, I began to gain more clarity...and control.
--Frankie
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