Other People

“Shit!”

Nick’s shakiness from anxiety was something that came out of nowhere when he started shaving. He furiously grabbed the toilet paper roll on the counter, ripped a small piece off, and slabbed it on the small cut on his neck. Why does it always bleed so much? he thought. Small drops had landed in the sink so he turned the water on to wash it away. His face was shaved clean, the clotting blood a visible eyesore. He ran his hands through his hair, longer than he typically wears it but the style was growing on him. He grabbed his hair gel from the medicine cabinet and squirted a little into his hands. He moved the gel slowly through his hair, trying to slick it back and comb it to the side.

Nick doesn’t date. In fact, in his 28 years on earth, he has never dated. The generational difference in dating has been a subject of much interest for Nick. People don’t date. They meet, they hookup, they move on their way. There is no more romance or trying to win over the affection of someone else. Instead, millennials just think that things will fall neatly into place without effort. Not dating has caused Nick great anxiety. Yes, he had flings in college, even after graduating, but the need for intimacy and connection was never a priority. Now as he is getting older, it’s something he desires. He wants a wife. A family. Stability and normality. How can he go about that if he won’t put himself out there? So Nick went on Bumble. And after many swipes and failed conversations, he met Linda. 

Linda stepped out of the shower and grabbed her towel. She started at herself in the mirror. She looked tired and her eyes were red, like she had been crying. Linda was overworked; constantly on the clock at her office job and not feeling her worth at what she actually does. She had been going through her own quarter life crisis, thinking that there was no point in a corporate life and that she had to do something with more meaning. Linda grabbed her comb, brushed her hair, but remained focus on her gaze in the mirror. I can’t believe I’m doing this again, she thought. She grabbed her makeup bag and sighed. 

Linda had no time to date anyone long term. She used Bumble and other dating apps as a way to meet men, grab a dinner, and then the conversation would fizzle. Then she would move onto the next one. She never thought what she was doing was bad. She rarely slept with the men she met and the ones that she did, it was after a few dates. She swiped right on Nick, thinking he was a good looking guy and she liked his prompt that said “Where you can find me at the party…by the chips and dip.” It was witty and relatable. His pictures were with friends and family, sipping coffee at a cafe in Brooklyn, him taking a tour through a brewery. She had no intention to keep the men she dated long term, including this one with Nick. It was one night. Just one dinner. Nothing crazy. 

The Waterside Restaurant, 7pm, East 52nd and 3rd. 

Nick took a taxi from his apartment to the restaurant. He wore black slim fit jeans, brown Chelsea boots and a J Crew checkered button down. He was wearing Calvin Klein cologne, which he hoped wasn’t too powerful as the taxi driver kept sniffling. The bleeding on his neck had stopped and only left a small mark. He arrived 10 minutes early before the reservation time, debating if he should grab a shot at the bar to calm his nerves. His conversations with Linda had been easy & whimsical. Mostly about TV show and music interests. They had some of that in common. Nick got the courage to ask her dinner after a few drinks one night at a bar. 

“Name the time & place :)” Linda responded. Nick beamed. 

So why was he so nervous? Is this how it is with other people? 

Linda only lived three blocks from the restaurant so she decided to walk. She was wearing flats, jeans and a leather jacket over her white sweater. The walk felt like it would give her some time to reflect, forget that she was going to a date and had to act like someone else. It was a bit stressful and she considered it more of a chore. The men that she dated were more concerned about projecting their own views and opinions while she just sat and listened attentively. She had suggested the Waterside to Nick because it was close to her apartment and would be a quick getaway if things turned disastrous. The strand lights outside the restaurant were glowing, a few people were congregated outside smoking cigarettes and laughing over someone’s joke. She took a deep breath and walked in. Nick was at the hostess table and smiled. She felt surprisingly at ease. 

“Hi!” She said. 

Nick walked over and kissed her on the cheek. 

“Hope you weren’t waiting long. I actually walked over, “ she said. 

“Oh no, I just got here a few minutes ago. I wanted to wait till you got here before sitting down.”

The hostess ushered them to their table, a small booth against the wall but a perfect view of the bar and any patrons that walked into the main entrance. The restaurant wasn’t that large, but almost every table was filled. The staff bustled in and out of the kitchen with trays, the sounds of utensils dropping and pans simmering seeped out every time the door swung open. They both sat down at their seats and smiled at each other. A waiter had quickly came by before they had the chance to initiate their conversation. Nick ordered a Stella and Linda ordered a vodka soda with lime. 

“Great suggestion on this place,” Nick said, his hands clasped together. 

“It’s a good spot. I’m usually here with friends, or just come after work for a quick drink,” she replied. She went in for the bread on the table, not even looking up or caring at what he thought. She was hungry and if she was going to start drinking soon, she needed something in her stomach. Their drinks came back quickly, Nick taking a sip immediately then wiping his chin. 

“Forgot to cheers,” he said and lifted his drink. Linda smiled and their glasses clinked.

“What are we cheersing to?” She smirked. 

Nick looked up at the ceiling, like he was pretending to think. “Hmmm, our health is a bit cliche to me. How about to new friends?”

“Works well with me,” she replied. 

She sipped her drink, the vodka stinging her throat a little bit but gave her a warm, comforting feeling. The two of them stared out at the others in the restaurant. A family in the corner with three children, two of them with coloring books and sippy cups while the mother fussed around with the younger child in a booster seat. A couple sat next to them, both in all black, looking very serious, like they were breaking up. At the bar sat two men, both having whiskey, but looking very longing to each other. 

Linda got her attention back on Nick, who was still staring out. 

“So,” she said. 

“Sorry,” Nick said. “I enjoy people watching. Not that I don’t think you’re interesting.”

“Oh I get it. I consider it sort of a hobby as well. You see those two girls in the center?” She leaned closer in on Nick, almost whispering. “The one with the jean jacket and the other one with the turtleneck? They look to be fighting,” she said.

It was evident that their discussion was getting heated as you could hear their voices over the music and talking of others. A waiter came over to ask if they wanted another drink, seeming to help simmer down the argument. 

“It’s probably over a guy. Or something stupid, like she stole one of her tops,” she said as she sipped her drink. 

“What about the one in the corner all the way to the left?” Nick said. He was referring to a man wearing a white cable knit turtleneck, black rimmed glasses, and khakis. He was reading a tattered paperback book, too far away to determine the title. 

“I mean, who reads in a restaurant?”

Linda laughed at this. “I always thought it was odd for people to bring a book to a bar. Or read while walking on the treadmill at the gym. It’s like they’re trying to prove something.”

Nick smiled up at her, her eyes twinkling under the candle on the table. 

“Well enough about these people. We’re here to talk about each other, right?”

“As much of a boring subject as it is, I guess you are right.”

“What do you mean by that? I’m sure you’re more interesting, beyond what we talked about over our chat.”

Linda rolled her eyes coyly, knowing this was flirting, but also dreading the fact that she had to get personal yet again with someone she knew she would probably not see again after a few weeks or a month of seeing each other. 

“Let’s start with you. How did you end up in New York?”

Nick stared at Linda, trying to jog his memory. He was from Warwick, New York. A desolate town but known to be most people as a place with a drive-in theater, a winery; all a long distance away from wherever you are standing. He went to school at SUNY Albany and wanted to move to a place that wasn’t the suburbs. He felt trapped by the close knit friends and family. Not that it wasn’t important to him, but branching out was the only way he was going to get to where he wanted to be. He told Linda this, describing his move to New York after landing a job at a marketing startup, and moving in with a friend of a friend who had went to NYU. 

“Lots of girlfriends, I presume?” She asked. 

Nick was taken aback a little by the question. He didn’t expect to go deep into his love life. On a first date no less. 

“Um, no,” he said awkwardly. “Not really. Not many at all”

Linda sat back in her chair. “You’re lying to me,” she grinned. 

“No, seriously. I don’t really…date, I guess.”

“Why not?”

“Don’t you think it’s hard nowadays? I feel like other people just meet each other by chance. But it’s such an effort to get to know someone, get personal. It’s exhausting, isn’t it?” Nick felt like he said too much. He sipped his beer and this signaled the conversation to change subjects. But Linda pressed on. 

“I guess, but how else can you meet other people? Do you have any girl friends that you might end up matching with? If not, then you’re out of luck finding someone!”

“You’re right, but I guess in today’s age, people don’t think that way. Don’t you think I was shocked you answered my Bumble message? No one can ever keep a conversation!”

Linda laughed. “I can’t disagree. Most people can’t hold a conversation.” 

The waiter came back and asked if they wanted to start with an appetizer. The two hadn’t even looked at the menu yet, but hastily decided on buffalo calamari as their starter. Linda looked back at Nick and he could tell the conversation was about to get going. His stomach felt like it was in a knot. 

“Did you find it hard to meet people when you got to New York?”

Nick bit his lip. “In the beginning, yeah. I have friends here who introduced me to their friends, but it took time to find out which group was my best fit. I guess that takes time. What about you then?”

“What about me” she said. 

Nick felt since she opened this can of worms, he would do the same to her. “What’s your story?”

Linda was from Atlanta. The south was in her blood. She never ventured outside the area, except to visit colleges in the Northeast which she found too cold and too uptight. She went to the University of Miami and majored in communications. Her family was the opposite of Nick’s; distant & independent. Her mother was old money and focused on her social status rather than bringing up a family. Her father was a partner at a law firm and he lived his life devoted to that. She had a close relationship with her sister, but she moved to California and got married, making them more distant over the years. She ended up moving to New York right after graduation as a way to begin a fresh start. It was what she expected. She had few close friends in New York, she devoted herself to work, and she didn’t take dating seriously. It was an activity she did, but didn’t want to prolong. 

“And you? Lots of boyfriends?” Nick said while smiling, finally happy to take a shot at her on that. 

Linda looked down, lips pursed. “Nothing serious. And no, not lots.”

“So what are your thoughts on dating?”

Linda’s jaw dropped, more laughing at the situation that she started. “I don’t know. Dating is…odd these days. I look at it more as getting to know someone. I don’t really think about the future.”

“Is that something you ever think about?”

“I guess not. I’m more of a live in the moment kind of person.”

“But if you want to get that deep connection with someone, don’t you think you should see where it ends up?”

Linda felt herself getting tense. The date was turning more into a therapy session or interrogation rather than just sitting down and talking about the day’s bullshit. 

“I’m not sure how to answer that. Maybe I have high expectations?”

Nick decided to pull back a little bit. The waiter brought over the calamari, both of them discussing how great it tasted, and they spent the time reviewing and discussing their entree options. Nick settled on the sirloin steak and mashed potatoes while Linda got the seafood salad. Now that they had to wait for their food, where would the conversation turn?

“Look at that,” Nick said, pointing. 

By the window, a man was getting on one knee by the table while the woman sat in awe, tears welling in her eyes and her mouth agape at the sight of the box in his hands. They couldn’t hear the conversation over the music and hustle and bustle of the staff, but cheering commenced and the two stood, kissing and hugging. 

“Well, wasn’t that romantic?” Linda said, sarcastically and taking a gulp of her drink. She flagged the waiter down for another round. 

“It was…I mean, do you see yourself getting married?” Nick said. 

Linda looked down at her lap, the white napkin placed on her jeans. “I don’t know. I look at my parent’s marriage and think, is this what I want? They’re happy I know, but maybe not for the right reasons.”

“What reasons?”

“Money. Stability. Marriage should be about connection. They don’t have that.” The waiter dropped off the drinks and told them their food would be out momentarily.

“Just because that’s what they have, doesn’t mean you have to have it too,” he said. 

Nick knew this wasn’t what he envisioned for the first date, his first date probably ever. But it was a way for him to connect. Their food came out and they made small talk while chewing and taking sips of their drinks. Both were overly pleased with how the food came out and ate every morsel on the plate. 

“I feel disgusting,” Linda said. 

“Same,” Nick replied. “But could definitely use another beer.”

Linda lifted and swished her drink around, signaling that she was coming to the end and would like another as well. Linda was feeling a little tipsy, but not too intoxicated. She felt confident with operating a vehicle. 

“Now I’m going to ask you what you asked about me. Do you see yourself getting married?”

Nick laughed. “Yeah, I do. Do I know when? No. And I think that’s my fear.”

“Is that what you’re worried about? Time?”

“Well, yeah. I feel like the timeline with all of us is just off. And everyone else has these expectations in mind, but how are we going to fulfill that if we can’t even fulfill a conversation with each other?”

“Maybe time is in fact all what you need. Maybe you do need to get out there and talk. And those conversations will eventually fulfill themselves.”

Nick pondered this observation, not exactly feeling comforting about it, but understanding that maybe he needed a little more effort on his part. 

The waiter returned to take the plates and asked how their meal was. 

“Desert?”

Nick left it up to Linda, letting his hand out to make the decision. 

Linda looked up at the waiter and smiled. “Why not?”

Nick and Linda kissed each other on the cheek goodbye and said they would speak again soon. But both of them knew that they would never go out with each other again. However the date surprised both of them. They may see each other at a bar in the future, or run into each other as they walk down Broadway, but they would never have a romantic relationship. However, this night served as a turning point for both of them. Their original mindsets on how human relationships work, romantically, casual and personal were altered by the events that took place at the Waterside. Maybe other people didn’t know at all like they thought. Maybe the solution to their problems was to see it from someone else’s view.