O.M. The Diary of a Bad Black Woman-Day 3

Day 3, Wednesday Eve: All’s Well that Ends Well

I returned to my room after a long day of conference sessions. I had text Sisely, and told her that Cuban Cigar had given me the wrong digits. I told her I didn’t think it was intentional, since he volunteered them, but I didn’t know for sure.

Since I didn’t know, and he hadn’t called me, I told her that we wouldn’t be going Salsa dancing that night. She text me back her disappointment and sympathy. I decided that I would go downstairs to get some dinner to bring back to my room, and would watch a video I had brought-in case things didn’t go as I had planned. It would pain me to break out the video, but what could I do? I went downstairs to one of the restaurants to check out the menu. While there, I saw a couple of people that I had lunch with on Tuesday. They were finishing up their meals. I told them I was getting mine to go. They insisted that I sit down and eat, and that they would wait and keep me company. How dear is that? So, I sat down to eat with Moe and Cynda.

It was during my meal that Cuban Cigar called. He had been sleeping the afternoon away (He’d come directly to the conference from a week of New Years Eve partying.) I told him that I tried to call him, but that he had given me the wrong number. He didn’t believe me and gave me his number again. It turns out that the 4 was supposed to be a 9. He still wanted to go dancing, but at that point, I was too filled from eating to make the moves that Salsa required(a good excuse anyway). We decided instead to walk along Du Pont Circle. He said that he would meet me in the lobby of my hotel (he was staying in another) at 9. After finishing my meal, I went up to my room to change.

At 8:58, I went downstairs to wait for Cuban Cigar. As I got off the elevator, I bumped into 3D getting on it. I said “Hi, 3D.” He said, “How do you know my name?” I said, “I saw it on your name tag earlier today.” “When did you see me?” he asked inquisitively. “I saw you at the conference walking down the hall.” “How come I didn’t see you?” He asked. “Because I am good like that.” I said jokingly. He asked me my name, and I told him. He asked what I was getting into tonight. I told him that I was just about to meet a friend to go for a walk. He said, “Oh”, disappointedly. I asked him what he was “getting into”. “Nothing. I can’t find anyone to hang out with.” He said dejectedly. “I find that hard to believe.” I responded. “Well, look at you, you’re about to go hang out with someone, so you’re not available.” “What are you doing tomorrow?” “Well, I have a friend coming over.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “See! Well, here’s my number in case something should change.” “Ok, thanks. If not, I’ll see you tomorrow at the conference anyway.” I then went to the lobby to wait for Cuban Cigar. 3D was looking quite good, had I not met Cuban Cigar, we might have gotten into something…

Cuban Cigar was right on time(-in many ways). We walked around Du Pont circle. It was a quick walk, so we decided to cab it over to Adam’s Morgan. We found a spot called the Rumba Room. We went inside and had the best Mojitos ever. And, dare I say, the easiest, most fluid conversation ever. We talked for a long time. He is so easy to talk with, so calm and so cool. Plus, we have many of the same interests in common. I can best describe him as comfortable.

We left the Rumba room, and decided to walk back to our hotels. During our walk, we heard music from on high, wafting down into the street. We were standing in front of Habana Village, a small but intimate Salsa joint. We decided to go upstairs and have a look-see. There were only 4 other people in there as they were about to close. We went to the back of the room. Cuban Cigar began to get his groove on. I couldn’t help him with that, I’m afraid. I was too intimidated by someone who knew what he was doing.

He pulled me up from the seat I was sitting in (perfectly content watching him) and showed me some basic steps. He held my hands as he showed me. (Can I just pass out now, and be done with it?) He was getting all technical, talking about listening for the beats, and counts and 1 and 2 steps, etc. He lost me at listening for the beats. He was such a sweetie though. He kept trying, and even tried to show me how to spin. Ok, I can’t get the basic foot moves down, there was no way, I was going to get the spin down! I laughed so much that night. We closed the place down (about 20 minutes after we arrived), and continued our walk back. I told him that the next time I see him, if I ever saw him again, that I would have my Salsa moves down (even if I had to rent a video, cause there are no joints where I live). He said, “You’ll see me again.” Yipeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I asked him if he wanted to come up to my room. Not for sex or anything, just to continue conversing. He did.

I had decided in the past couple of months that I only wanted to be honest, and have honest communication returned to me. I knew that in order to do that and get that, that I would have to reveal more of myself than I am accustomed to. I would have to let people in. That is a scary notion for me. However, this being a new year, what better time to start? Right then, I decided I would test the waters with Cuban Cigar. I told him about my blog. He immediately said that he wanted to read it. I told him that I didn’t think he could handle it. He assured me that he could.

Cuban Cigar said that it would be a good way to get to know who I am inside. He wants to know who I am inside?!! What a concept! Then he did this metaphoric thing with a blank piece of paper to illustrate his point (I love metaphoric things). Still, I was not sure I could reveal, unmasked, my inner most thoughts, adventures, fantasies and observations. I thought of the handful of people that actually new my identity. At least that I knew, knew my identity. If I were to give him the info. he would make the 6th person. (There were a couple of suspects in addition to the confirmed.) Could I do it? Should I do it?

...to be continued.

Copyright 2006