A Funny Thing Happened on The Way to The....Bus

I attended an event in New York City on Wednesday evening. I had such a great time that I've been referring to it as my "reward for sticking with it" for the last umpteen months. I got invited to the launch of a new cosmetic treatment line through all the networking I've been doing.

The event was held in midtown at Nobu 57. Since I don't discuss a lot of my personal preferences, let me just say that I am definitely a sushi aficionado. So between my background in aesthetics, my addiction to cosmetics and my extreme love for sushi, it was like slipping into the most comfortable pair of slippers ever! I couldn't have asked for a better combination.

I was asked to be a 'before and after' of the new Chella brow treatment, called "Brow Full-Fillment" and tool kit~~~so I made sure to get in a few nibbles in before it was time to hit center stage for the press. It was a lot of fun and the response to the presentation was very positive. My fellow bloggers(most of them specializing in beauty) asked lots of good questions.

I was flattered to be asked to stay for dinner and looked forward to getting to know the Chella team a little better in a more intimate setting. It was a busy night, so by the time we got our table, it was time for me to go. Since I live so far south in New Jersey, the most convenient method to get into the city is the Bolt Bus, and the last one BACK left the New Yorker Hotel at 9:30. Well, I had already missed my window of opportunity to take the subway back that way, so I went out to hail a cab. 9pm on a Wednesday. Yeah, right!! There were no empty cabs for what seemed like an eternity (five minutes). One after another, people happily on their way somewhere else whizzed by. As I waited, peering into cars idling at the light, I realized someone was honking at me. I looked over and noticed a towncar driver waving at me. Yes, I know they're not supposed to, but he offered to zip me the 25 blocks I needed to go.

This gentleman was too funny. His name was Abdul and he was very well dressed. His car was newer and spotless. He asked me why a cute girl like me couldn't get a cab. I tried to make some small talk to find a way to let him know that I wasn't a rich New Yorker. I didn't want him to think he was going to land some big fish who threw lots of bills at him. He kept saying, "You so cute, You so cute!"~so much that I started to giggle (on the inside).

I mentioned that I had been at a meeting trying to get a job, and that I had been out of work for a long time, but was at the 'meeting' too long I didn't want to miss my bus~~ and I didn't usually take cabs. (Trying to build a story here, work with me!!) He asked what I did and where I live so I said, I'm in sales and I've been trying to get a job so long, it's embarrassing. I'm from New Jersey.

Well, since English wasn't his first language, and I talk pretty fast,he said, "Embarrassing? Let me look that up," and pulled out a book (which I assumed was a dictionary. His Nigerian (?) accent was pretty heavy)to look it up. So I'm trying to find other words to explain what embarrassing means--unsuccessfully, of course-- and he keeps looking for it in his book. He says I can't find it! So I look up, and he's holding a FARE book. He thought embarrassing was a city in New Jersey, and he was trying to find out how far away it was to see if he could drive me home without being gone from the city for too long!! Awwwwwwwww.

Once I realized,I explained and he saw that my town really was quite far. So at least he let up on that. But then he asked me for my phone number and wouldn't take no for an answer. He also wanted to walk me to the bus once we arrived at my final destination. I politely declined, of course (I mean, come on, it was 50 yards, the bus was RIGHT THERE).

This guy really needs to go into sales. He is the most persistent driver I've ever come across. Of any kind of car!! Thank goodness it never veered into "creepy" territory, just annoying...but I've got to give him credit for not taking no for an answer. I think when he called my voicemail 3x five minutes later, he got the hint.

I made the bus with about 5 minutes to spare. Whew!! And I networked all the way home!