A 2 Hour Lunch

Monday

On this rare occasion I was headed into the City for a work appointment. I mentioned this to Ross the day before, and he said we should meet up for lunch.  Great idea.  So, after my morning appointment, I text Ross:

"Done. Wanna meet?
"Yea, for sure.  What time?" he responds
"1pm good for you? I can be near you by then"
"Perfect. Text me when you get outside Penn" he says.

So, I get on the subway, take it a few stops to Penn Station.  Text Ross that I'm here and walking towards his building. We plan to meet in front. It's exactly 1pm. Perfect timing.

1:00 PM
"I'm outside. Waiting on you." I text.
"OK. Be right there."

1:10 PM
"Everything OK?" I ask.
"Yea, two secs" he responds.

1:15 PM
"You coming? I ask
"Yes..I'm downstairs."

1:20 PM
"Downstairs? Are you actually taking the stairs?" I ask, knowing he's in some tall office building on the 28th floor.
"2 secs, 2 secs" he says.

1:30 PM
"Listen, I'm going to go get a table.  Meet you in the restaurant." I tell him.
"OK."

1:45 PM
"Sitting. Tell the hostess my name.  She knows I'm waiting for you."
"OK"

2:00 PM
"I'm ordering. I feel like a jerk..sitting here by myself. You want a Chicken Cesare Salad?"
"Yea. I'll be right there."

2:20 PM
"I'm done. Yours is sitting here. I have to go. Can you come down and pick it up? I'll have it wrapped for you to go."
"I'm coming. Don't leave. he says.

2:30 PM
Here comes Ross.  He apologizes. Call, meeting. Couldn't get out.
"Ross, you lie so much you wouldn't know the truth if you saw it." I say.
"You're angry?" he asks.
"Angry? No..not angry. But, I wish you would have told me that you couldn't do lunch rather than have me sit here alone."

Ross ate, we chat.

2:45 PM
I get the check, pay and we're outta there.

I shake his hand and say "This was fun. We should do this again" sarcastically.
"Sorry" he responds.

Now, I could take the delay. Things happen - but, I'm not his boyfriend anymore. We're friends, even if he thinks things are going to go somewhere..they're not. And this 2 seconds..coming..one minute..this thing he does..is typical..and is basically what has doomed us from the start.

Even as a friend, I think I deserve more courtesy than that..
 

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