City break: Chapter 1

This is how I met her: 

I was standing in the queue of one of those busy Manhattan coffee shops so familiar to us all from films and TV shows like Friends. It was eight a.m. and I’d flown in from Dublin for a 3-day city break. I was tired but already exhilarated by New York’s celluloid energy. She was in front of me, a Blackberry clamped to her ear. Skin a flawless matte black; the closely cropped hair emphasised the rounded perfection of her head, set elegantly upon a long and slender neck. She looked effortlessly good. I stared, mesmerised by her sculptural beauty. Coffee machines hissed, waitresses shouted orders and outside sirens soared, but through this cacophony of New York sounds, I saw she was deeply irritated by who ever was on the other end of the line. 

“OK, I hear you.” she said with authority as she removed the phone from her ear, giving it a firm thumbing off. She nodded her head exasperatingly, before catching my knowing smile, “Work?” I asked. “You bet, I got a tough day ahead, I need an espresso, a large one!” she shouted this as her order to the multi tasking coffee man, with a sexy New York drawl that doesn’t translate to the page. I decided there and then to put the Irish charm to the test, “It doesn’t have to be; spend the day with me?”

“What?” she said with a smile that would light up dirty old Dublin.

“Yes, you heard me right, pull a sicky and chill out with me ,” I returned my best smile.

“Are you crazy?” she asked with a furrowed brow and asking eyes.

“Nope. A wee bit jet lagged maybe, but not mad.”  She dropped her head and began a cute, quizzical giggle while reiterating, “Pull a sicky.” 

“I’m Brendan,” I said, offering her my hand, which she took. I held it for no more than a few seconds, but I felt a sort of connection, an innate feeling of affection for the woman. “So it's a deal?" I asked. “Man - you watch too many movies,” she said, shaking her head. “I do for sure, I’ll not deny it, and you've to admit this might be the start of a good one?” She beamed a smile, while nodding her head and looking at her Blackberry. “Looks promising,” I said, giving her an asking expression.  Her eyes met mine and we began a stare off which was interrupted by the delivery of her espresso, and a harassed demand for payment from the overworked coffee man. I handed him a note and ordered the same for myself. “I would've won that stare off you know – I don’t give up easily.” She became serious and said, “It’s been nice meeting you this morning Brendan, but I need to get to work now.” I shrugged my shoulders and sighed, “OK, fair enough, it was worth a try. I hope your day’s not too bad.  Goodbye gorgeous.” 

In truth I was embarrassed by my stupidity.  She gave me one of those closed mouth grimaces that say sorry in a patronising way, and left the coffee shop with an elegant stride. When she didn’t look back an unexpected wave of loneliness hit me.  

I'd come to the Big Apple to help mend my heart. My girlfriend of almost three years had dumped me, said she didn’t love me anymore and walked away. The split was the talk of our small town and I wanted to wallow and wander the streets of a big city without having to encounter familiar faces feeling sorry for me. My confidence had dropped, hence my naïve asking out of a beautiful stranger – a sad attempt to see if I could still pull. I cringed as I took a seat by the window, taking a sip of coffee that nearly blew the head off me.  I watched people, pushed by ambition, rush by, their faces focused determinedly on the day ahead. While deep in observation – I heard her voice again.  

“Hey – didn’t you say you don’t give up easily?” She looked down at me with her huge smile. I didn’t know what to say, so just mumbled a quietly wet, “I did, didn’t I." My bravado vanished as I realised this stranger had given up a day at work to spend it with me. Surreal. This only happened in Nora Ephron films. 

Struck dumb, my head screamed, ‘Say something Brendan, just say something.’ Mouth as dry as a badger’s arse, tongue tied, and to cap it all I felt those little beads of nervous sweat popping up on my forehead. I looked like a sweaty, nervy nerd – not cool.  After what seemed like an age the words came, uninspired and pathetic, “Do you want another coffee?”  

Nevertheless they instigated action as she said, “I’d love another beverage Brendan, but can we get outta here, as the likelihood of me bumping into a work colleague is pretty high. How bout we take the subway down town and get some breakfast?” she said while switching off her Blackberry and throwing it into her bag, relieved to be rid of it. 

Outside the late October wind lashed us with its chilly tongue. My new companion spun round and hissed an urgent, “SHIT!”  We were heading towards the steps of an underground station and mid way down she answered, “Whoa – close, the office gossip; don’t think she saw me though.” 

The strange underground world with huge trains rumbling through blackened holes struck me and she noticed my open mouthed awe, “Hey Brendan, are you a subway virgin?” 

I popped my subway cherry on a train rushing towards downtown Manhattan. Relaxing into the experience I asked, “So – what’s your name?”

“I’m Akira.” The slamming of the trains breaks interrupted my response as we were thrust sideways, like human dominoes.   

The train shuddered to a halt and our bodies righted themselves. Scanning our fellow passengers I noted they seemed irritated rather than concerned. The carriage lights flickered and died. The darkness unnerved me and I experienced a momentary surge of fear. I wasn’t a fan of extreme metal tube travel, flying always gave me the jitters and stuck underground in a metal tube on wheels gave me that tight feeling of claustrophobia. At home, I felt safe and in control on my trusty old tractor.

An intercom crackled and an urgent voice filled the darkness, “12-9”  “12-9” “12-9!” Then back to silence. “What’s going on Akira?” Her reply did little to ally my creeping anxiety, “The trains often stop in the tunnel, but not so abruptly. It sounds like he's calling out some kind a code.”  I put a reassuring arm around her shoulder and we waited in the darkness.