The Fabulous Dating Misadventures of Poppy J

“Pahhhhhhhhhhhhhh-pyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. Poppy, wake up. It’s 7 o’clock.”

“Five more minutes, please,” I moaned from beneath my covers.

I rolled over and tried to block the light from my eyes.

“Get up, get up, get up, Birthday Girl!”

“Ugh,”I replied and tried to bury myself even further under my blanket.

“Poppy, come on! Dee will be here any minute,” Reese responded happily as she ducked into the bathroom.

My birthday. In years past, just the thought of celebrating my own personal holiday was enough to have me swinging from the rafters. But this year? Not so much.

I hadn’t been on the East Coast for more than a few weeks, but already I was homesick. I missed everything about LA – from the endless stream of sunny days to the late-night roof-top parties in downtown Los Angeles. From lazy days spent walking around the Santa Monica Pier to the more ambitious ones spent in front of my laptop at an outdoor café on Melrose. My body may have been in NYC, but my heart and mind were still wandering the streets of Los Angeles.

 Nevertheless, I was on the East Coast working for a major magazine while taking my own bite outta the Big Apple. It was time to make the most of it.

“Poppy? Are you up yet?” Reese called from the bathroom.

 I sighed and hoisted myself outta the bed.

**************

The rain was pouring down hard by the time we hailed a cab to dinner. As Dee and Reese slid into the backseat, I took a moment to look out at the gloomy landscape. The smell of wetness filled the air as I gazed at the tall buildings surrounding me. I sighed and hopped in the cab.

Driving through the city, I started to see familiar some familiar sites.

“You have a Macy’s? And a BCBG? And a mall? There’s a mall here?”

“Uh, yeah, Poppy.”

My friends looked at me with a mixture of puzzlement and amusement. I smiled.

Within minutes we arrived at our destination. Reese had picked out a restaurant that had a nice, chill lounge vibe along with great Southern food.

“This is really cool,” I said as I admired the sleek décor.

“Yeah, I found it on Living Social,” Reese replied with a wink. “I did think there’d be more people here, though.”

We looked around and saw a handful of folks quietly enjoying their dinner.

“Not what I was expecting for a Friday night,” Reese said with a frown.

We took our seats and for a moment, I allowed myself to imagine what I would’ve been doing had I been in Los Angeles.

I had been planning a downtown pub crawl. Dinner and starter drinks at Church and State with about twenty of my closest friends. Cocktails at Varnish followed by mayhem at the Association.  And then, I would stumble down the street, hand in hand with Mr. CSI to the group’s favorite hang-out, The Falls. There we would dance the night away while the DJ spun ‘90s hip-hop mixed with a few rock numbers to appease the eclectic crowd.

It would’ve been great. Wonderful, even.

“Happy birthday to youuuuuuuu. Happy birthday to youuuuuuuu!”

My thoughts were interrupted by a chorus of voices. Turns out our sweet waitress had gathered what was left of the wait staff to serenade me.

Reese and Dee laughed and smiled as my birthday dessert, replete with candle was set before me.  And that’s when I saw it.

Reese’s excitement and happiness at the very idea of ushering in another year with me. The fact that Dee, a woman I’d just met through Reese, had driven two hours in inclement weather just to celebrate the birthday of someone she’d only just met that night. And finally, the sweet faces of the weary staff who Reese had somehow talked into regaling me with a birthday song.

That’s when I saw that, although I missed LA and all of my friends there, I was very much among friends on this coast. Great, great friends who loved me and appreciated me. It was enough to make a girl’s heart melt.

“Happy birthday, Poppyyyyyyy!” Reese and Dee cried in unison as I blew out the candle.

I stared at my phone in disbelief.

“He’s –“ I tried to say again, but I couldn’t get the words out.

Instead, I passed the phone to my dear friend, Reese. She read the text message aloud.

“Poppy, I think we should just be strictly friends,” she read.

______________________

Four Days Ago…

Buzzzzzzzz. Buzzzzzzzzzz. Buzzzzzzzzz. I quickly snatched my vibrating phone off of the table.

“Hello?”

“Poppy! Hey!”

“Rick? Is everything okay?”

My question was answered by a deep sigh. It had been three days or so since I’d last heard from Rick. He quickly explained.

“My mom was sick. She had an allergic reaction to something she ate, and I had to rush her to the hospital. I’m so sorry I didn’t call.”

“Oh, no! That’s horrible! How’s she doing now?”

“She’s better. In fact, I have to take her to a follow-up appointment tomorrow.”

“Wow. I’m so sorry, Rick.”

“Thanks. How are you?”

“I’m good, just got assigned a new story, so pretty excited about that.”

“Great. That’s awesome…Listen, I have to run. I have to get ready for tomorrow.”

“Oh, okay. Take care.”

As I pressed the “End” button on my phone, I immediately felt something was amiss. Something just didn’t add up.

I heard my phone vibrate again and picked it up. It was my good friend, V, asking me what time we were heading out for drinks.

I quickly responded and jumped up to get ready for a night out in Manhattan.

____________________

One Day Ago….

“Oh my God, Poppy! Tell me how much you love New York!” a very giddy Liv gushed through the phone.

“It’s pretty neat, I must admit.”

“Mmmmh-hmmm. I know. My sister and I LOVED it when we were out there. All the shopping and the food and- wait, have you tried all the great food????”

It was obvious that Liv was in love with NYC. And as much as I appreciated the opportunity to be in the Big Apple, I was incredibly homesick for LA.

“Sooooo, what’s going on with your new boy?”

“Rick? Well, actually, I wanted to ask you about him. I feel like, something’s off.”

“Uh-oh.Something like what?”

“Like, I don’t know. Just something.”

“Well, you want me to check with Dante? I mean, that is his boy and all.”

“Could you please?”

“Yeah! I’ll text him now.”

“Cool. Thanks so much.”

“No problem. And hey, have fun in NY. It’s an awesome city.”

“Thanks, Liv.”

I smiled and hung up.

Fifteen minutes later, however, I was frowning. I’d received a text message from Liv.

“Spoke to Dante. He said that he’s not sure what Rick told you, and that you should probably wait until you get back to talk with him. Whatever that means.”

WTH?????

And that’s when I got it.

His constant questions about who I’d told about us and what I’d told them about us.

The fact that he NEVER called me from his house.

The sudden disappearing act.

It was as plain as day.

_____________________________

NOW….

“I don’t get it. What does that mean?” Reese asked as she handed me back the phone.

“It means that the bastard is married,” I said in disgust as I tossed my phone on my bed.

“So, I know you’re in the air right now, probably somewhere over Illinois or Michigan, but I just had to let you know that… I think you’re amazing. And I just wanted you to know that. So, yeah. Call me when you land, babe. Bye.”

I smiled for the 50^th time that day and replayed the message. Rick and I had talked every day since I left LA. In fact, eager to spend more time with me, he’d even volunteered to shuttle me to the airport the morning I left.

_________________

“So, what time should I pick you up?”

“Um, well, I need to drop off my car at my girlfriend’s, run by storage, and-“

“Poppy, I don’t want you to miss your plane, so…”

“Uh, I guess you should pick me up around 10 am.”

“Ok. Why don’t I pick you up a little earlier and take you to breakfast? We’ll grab a quick bite on the way to LAX.”

“Sounds good.”

And it was good. Not only did he show up right on time, he showed up flashing that oh-so-sexy smile of his. The ultimate gentleman, he stood whenever I got up from the table or returned to take my seat.

At the airport, he parked so that he could carry my bags inside. Then he waited patiently while I repacked a few bags (Curse those pesky weight restrictions!). He then walked me as far as he could before reluctantly saying good-bye.

He was perfect. And sweet. And perfect.

______________________

Our daily conversations got me through my harrowing first night in the city and continued to get me through my first week in the Big Apple. I looked forward to hearing his voice each day, and his words of support and encouragement helped me not feel so lonely in a big, unfamiliar city.

Today was no different. I was anxious to tell him about my first day at the magazine. I couldn’t wait to rehash my subway travails, the rush of excitement I felt sprinting through the busy streets of Manhattan, the awe that overtook me as I gazed up at the towering skyscrapers.

I was dying to tell him about each of the editors I’d met that day and how happy I was to finally be in such a creative space, doing what I do best – writing. It had been a good day, and sharing that with Rick would be the icing on my cake.

I looked down at my cell. It was already 6:40 pm, and I still needed to grab dinner. I wasn’t quite used to the time difference yet, but realizing it was only 3:40 pm on the West Coast, I decided that my report of the day’s activities would have to wait. At least until after dinner….

“Ewwwwwwww. What is that smell?”

I had to cover my nose; the stench was so strong. I dropped my bags near the door and proceeded to investigate. I gingerly walked down the hallway, flipping on lights as I went.

As I got closer, the foul odor got worse. I heard a low growl, then a slight whimper.

Standing in the middle of the kitchen was an old, old pit bull. And laying next to him? A mountain of feces and urine.

I almost gagged.

“How long have you been back here, boy?”

The pit looked at me with a long sideways glance. Deciding that I was alright, he sauntered over and waited patiently for me to pet him.

“The owner didn’t say anything about a dog,” I explained to my new friend, but he wasn’t phased. He finally had the company he desired, and I had a smelly, but friendly buddy to spend the night with.

“Alright then. Let’s look at the rest of this place.”

I took off back down the hallway, my canine friend in tow. With only days to prepare for my NYC trip, I’d been forced to take to the internet in search of the perfect apartamento to stay in, at least for my first week in town.

And just 24 hours before leaving LA, I’d found this place. I had no choice but to take it sight unseen.

The first room was the living room, and though I had yet to see the rest of the place, I was sure it would end up being the best part of the apartment. Warm and inviting, it was obvious a lot of time was spent in this room.

To my right, I glimpsed a bedroom right off of the living room. Clothes strewn across the bed and floor, rumpled bedcovers, and an ironing board that stood at the ready to complete its humble duties.

Obviously, I wouldn’t be staying in that bedroom.

Since the next room was the only other bedroom, I surmised that it had to be my bedroom. Small, but suitable.

After checking out the bathroom and the kitchen, I padded back to the front of the apartment to collect my bags.

The day had been quite long. After two flights, a bus, two commuter trains, and a cab to this quaint, smelly apartment, I was hungry and exhausted.

Turns out Hoboken, New Jersey, was far from the frolicking city I thought it’d be. There were no late-night eateries to grab a quick bite from, and the owner/roommate of my new place apparently didn’t believe in keeping food in the fridge.

Hunger aside, I was still convinced my first night on the East Coast could still be salvaged. I quickly unpacked my pj’s and travelled down the long hallway to take a hot shower. Only problem was, the guy/owner/roommate didn’t seem to have any towels. *Sigh* How the hell was I gonna take a nice, hot shower without any damn towels?????

“No towels. No food. Just great,” I thought as I finally climbed into bed. And that’s when I discovered – yep, you guessed it – no freakin’ blankets.

Cold and shivering, starving, and slightly odiferous, I curled up under my wool coat, tried to get comfortable and warm on my queen-size air mattress, and prayed that the next day would be better.

Buzzzz. Buzzzz. I reached in my purse and pulled out my cell.

“Where are you?” the text read.

“Dinner. Be there in 30,” I quickly typed back.

I was enjoying a nice dinner with my friend, Dave. As one of my closest guy friends, he was both excited and sad when I broke the news to him.

“You’re gonna be so missed, Poppy,” he said over our farewell dinner of fish and fries.

“Thanks, Dave.”

“So, what have the girls got planned for you this evening?”

“A going-away bash.”

“Downtown?”

“Of course!”

“Alright, guess I’d better get you home so that you can get ready.”

____________

Forty minutes later, I was pulling into a space surprisingly close to my destination, Perch.

“Here she comes!” I heard someone say as I emerged onto the rooftop lounge.

I was immediately greeted with hugs, smiles, and kisses from new and old friends.

“We’re gonna miss you, but I know you’re gonna love New York. Just try not to forget about us little people when you hit it big, OK?” my friend, Teddy, joked as he drew me into a big hug.

“Girl, you are wearing that dress! Congratulations!” Tia said while squeezing me tightly.

“I already know you’re not coming back, Poppy! New York is only the best city in the world,” my girlfriend, Kai, gushed.

“Wait, where is your drink?” Kai immediately started to flag down a cocktail waitress.

“I’ve got her. Thanks,” Rick said as he took me by the hand.

“Wait, what is Rick doing here?” I whispered to Liv as Tall, Dark, and Handsome whisked me towards the bar.

“So, what do you want?”

“Um, I don’t know. A martini?”

“Okay,” he smiled.

I couldn’t believe it. So many thoughts were swirling through my head. First of all, how did he even know about my going-away party? Oh, he was so damn cute. And fine. I mean, fiiiiiiiiine. Just damn. Oh, but wait. He was into someone else. Namely, Mercedes.

“Here you go,” he said while passing me a cucumber martini.

“Cheers.”

“Cheers,” I responded and waited for the question that I knew he was going to ask.

“So, New York, huh?”

Mmmh, not the question I was expecting.

“Yeah. New York.”

“Wow. That’s amazing.”

“Yeah.”

“You know, you look really nice tonight.”

Say what now? Was this dude hitting on me?

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, it’s too bad you’re leaving in a few days. I’d love to get to know you better.”

“Uh, really?”

“Yeah. What? You don’t believe me?”

Now it was Rick’s turn to look confused.

“Well, it’s just, um, the other night? You know, at happy hour? You were all into Mercedes.”

“Mercedes? Uh, no. I was all into you. Couldn’t you tell? I couldn’t keep my eyes off you.”

Whaaaaaaaaaaaat?! I completely missed that.

“Listen, I know you only have a few more days in town, but I’d love to take you to dinner before you leave.”

“Poppy! There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you.”

This came from my friend, Jill, who’d just arrived. We embraced, and I quickly introduced her to Rick.

“He’s cute,” she said low enough so that only I could hear. “Now, where’s the damn bartender? I need a drink!”

____________

Four hours, two bars, and one pizza joint later, my group of well-wishers and I had migrated to 6^th and Spring in search of some late-night eats.

“Hey, what time is it?”

“1:30.”

“I better check on my car. I don’t wanna be towed.”

Los Angeles is notorious for ticketing and towing cars, especially in downtown.

“I’ll walk with you,” Rick offered.

“Okay.”

As we slipped into the summer night air, I could already feel a warm tingling in my tummy. This only intensified when he held my hand within moments of stepping outside.

Downtown Los Angeles is absolutely gorgeous at night. When the streets are quiet, and all you see are the bright lights and tall buildings, well, it just makes me so…happy. Happy to call Los Angeles my home. I couldn’t help but wonder, would I one day feel the same way about New York?

“So, about that dinner invitation…”

“Well, I don’t know, Rick. I mean, I’m leaving soon, and I don’t know. I still got the impression that you really liked Mercedes.”

“Poppy. You’ve got it all wrong. I like you. I liked you from the moment I laid eyes on you. Why do you think I came out tonight? When Dante told me there was something going on at Perch, I immediately asked if you’d be there. I wanted to see you. I came for you.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you’ll go out with me. I want to see you again before you leave.”

“I, um, well-“

And before I could say another word, Rick bent down and kissed me with the softest, deepest kiss.

“Awww, get a room!” a homeless guy yelled as he passed us on the street.

But, we were lost in our own world. Sharing a kiss under the stars of the most perfect city ever.