You are here: Home » Real Life, Real Talk, Relationships, Love & Marriage » A Picture’s Worth, Pt. 2 of 3

A Picture’s Worth, Pt. 2 of 3

Posted by NWSO • January 5, 2009 • Printer-friendly

PLEASE NOTE: This is Part Two of a three-part post, if you don’t want to be completely confused, I suggest you CLICK HERE first before reading any further.

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After making my way to the restaurant, I perused the menu and ordered a medium curry chicken with rice and peas and grabbed a lonely seat by the window. Propping the framed poster against the wall, I began eating and became concerned about April’s whereabouts. I mean, this wasn't like her at all. She should have been home two hours ago. And why wasn't she answering her phone? Maybe she left it at home? Maybe the train was stuck between stops? A million thoughts ran through my mind as I ate in silence, occasionally glancing at my phone.

Just when I was about done and completely frustrated, a text came through from April that read: "I'm not home. Why did you go there without calling me?"

What the hell was she talking about? When we spoke around noon she said she'd be home way before six and just to let her know when I was on my way. I had been calling her for over two hours now and didn't even leave work ’til 6:30. Whatever. "I'm up the block from your house,” I wrote back. "Where are you?"

No response. I call. No answer. WTF?! Is this chick playing games? How can you text me but not answer your phone? Something don't sound right. Well, either I was the sucker of the year or a man with waaaay too much patience (probably a little bit of both) but I waited around another five minutes finishing my food until April texted a response, "I'm 15 minutes away. I'll be there shortly."

Fifteen minutes go by and no word from April. I’m a patient man, but this was getting a bit ridiculous. Since I had long finished eating and felt like I was loitering in the restaurant, I dumped my tray in the trash and headed back to April's crib. Right as I reached in front of her building, my phone went off and I saw April's name on the caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Hey, I just got off the train. Where are you?"

"I'm right in front of your building."

"Okay, I'm a few blocks away."

A minute later, I spot April as she turns the corner wearing a ruby red pea coat, matching hat, blue jeans and black boots. Clearly flustered, she greets me with a quick, "Hey," and pulls out her bundle of keys to unlock the front door. We make our way upstairs to her apartment in silence and she tosses her keys on the counter before letting out a dramatic sigh.

"So what happened to you," I asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said flatly.

"What? You had me waiting outside for over an hour and I don't get an explanation? What part of the game is that?"

"Look, just leave it alone, please. I don't want to talk about it," she repeated, walking towards the closet. "Let me get your coat."

Against my better judgment, I bit my tongue and placed the poster against the wall before slipping off my coat. Once April hung it up, she looked past me at the neatly wrapped package behind me. "Is that for me,” she inquired in a less annoyed tone.

"Perhaps."

"Ooh, can I get it now?"

"I dunno, you had a brother waiting in the cold for a minute."

"I'm sorry for having you wait but my meeting went over. Can we please just let it go?"

Not wanting this to trickle into an argument, I decided to grant her wishes. "Can I get something to drink first, though?"

"Sure, what do you want?"

"What do you have?"

Walking over to her fridge, April yells out from the kitchen, "I have OJ, cranberry juice, water and I think I have some hot chocolate in the cupboard."

"I'll take the cranberry juice," I responded as I picked up the poster and headed over to the couch.

April joined me a moment later and handed me the glass of juice. As promised, I in turn transferred over ownership of the package to her. "Here you go, babe."

April's face lit up like a Christmas tree and she squealed in anticipation. Slowly tearing off the brown paper, her excitement reached its pinnacle when she realized what it was. "Oh my God! The Color Purple. Where did you get this?"

"EBay."

"This is my favorite movie of all time. I can't believe you got this for me and the frame is so pretty. This is the best gift ever. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much."

April proceeded to smother me with a huge hug and stared back at the poster with the biggest smile I've ever seen to date. It's reactions like that that I live for. Seeing April happy in that moment made me forget all about how upset I was over freezing my butt off waiting for her. But maybe I spoke too soon.

couple-on-couch-4

Being that I had already eaten and April apparently did during her meeting, we decided to stay in. We sat on the couch watching a movie and talked until the wee hours of the night. Sleepiness started to overcome me and I found myself dozing on the couch. I glanced over at the clock and it was almost three in the morning. Getting back to Queens at this hour would be a nightmare, so I turned to April, "What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Nothing. Why?"

"It's getting kinda late and I'm beat. Was wondering if you would mind if I crashed on your couch."

"Uhm, I don't let boys sleep over."

"Well, first off I'm a man. [Laughs] Second, we haven't even kissed, let alone slept together, so if you think I’m gonna try something don’t worry, I just wanna crash on the couch because it’s hella late and I live mad far. You can lock your door—I don't care, and it’s not like you haven’t known me for years."

"Sorry, I don't let boys... I mean men sleep over unless he’s a relative or my man. That's not lady like."

"Wow, are you serious?"

"Yes."

"But you know me. Aren’t I an honorable guy?"

"Yes, but from my experience it's best that you head home."

I was flabbergasted. I couldn't believe that I stood outside for almost two hours to give this woman a gift just so she could send me out at three in the morning because of some silly rule. Wow. I really didn't know what to say about that one. So after a double-checking to make sure she wasn't pulling my leg, I chilled for a bit more before I grabbed my coat and broke out.

As I made my way to the train station, I realized that the temperature had dropped considerably. Walking down the subway stairs, I heard the distinct sound of the train. I wasn't sure if it was pulling in or out, I just prayed it was the former. To my chagrin, it was the latter. Fuck! I had just missed the first of three trains it would take for me to get home. I knew then this was gonna be a long night.

conductor

INTERLUDE
Okay, I have to stop this one right here. Check back tomorrow for the conclusion, but the early birds can check for it at midnight.

UPDATE: Here's Part 3.

Tagged as: Christmas, dating, gifts, holidays, train

Hope2Star

WOW what a...!!! LOL. I need part 3!!!
http://rewindandcomeagain.blogspot.com alysimone

wow....there are no words for this one...can't wait to read part 3.. hope you told her about herself and kept it movin...and did she ever tell you why she was so late.. this is better than the soaps.
Anonymous

There's 2 sides to every story. And I don't recall it going down this way.
- April
Creflow Holla

Oh snap! We have a dispute!
DiffNames

Awww Shiet!

April you may be redeemed in part 3, be patient like the rest of us, lol...
http://www.sickathanaverage.com Celia

Alright, I'm in suspense (like everybody else here) but I just had to comment on that picture of all those corny people with the party hats -- where the hell do you find these images? lol
http://thecocoaluvchronicles.blogspot.com The Cocoa Luv Chronicles

So first off, love the site. And umm she sounds pretty whack for that. SHe should have put you out long before 3 am for that matter. Can't make up rules as you go along. Anyway, i'll be an early bird this time and check it tonight.
http://thecocoaluvchronicles.blogspot.com The Cocoa Luv Chronicles

AHH And just saw that "April" commented. Ohhh can you give your side please? you can just share it with me lol
Lonias Gilmore

Naked - It's aggravating and exciting at the same time...love the cliffhanger...

April - True...two sides to every story...but if the "3AM" part isn't in dispute, you could have stated your "rule" WAY before DAWN!!!
http://nwso.net NWSO

Trying to stay out of this until I wrap the story, but in April's defense, the stay over rule was stated to me weeks earlier when I was over another time, just not that late...

But be patient folks, before throwing anyone under the bus.... it'll all get wrapped up when the clock strikes 12 tonight
http://nwso.net NWSO

Okay, here's an example of where real life trickles into my life/posts and slaps me across the face. I put shit out there and I guess it's on me to man up and face them and deal with unintentionally ruffling feathers.

As for your comment, April, here's my reply:

Yes, everything in this INCOMPLETE story is on me. I called you earlier today to give you a heads up about the post, not because I want to rub anything in your face, but because your my friend who just happen to be the basis for a "character" I created in this post. Like you said, ish happened mad long ago and things are fluffed here or there, time frames may be off. I'll take that. And since you lived the story, you know that "April" is not 100% you, just a character based on events we share. Sorry if the depiction of "April" came off in a way that made you feel I was throwing dirt your way. I'm hoping that when the final part unfolds you can look back at the whole "story" and see it differently. If not, then my bad. Just a part of my life and a scenario I felt like writing about.

As for everything else, yup, it's all on me. I chose to head to your crib, I chose to wait outside your crib, I chose to stay past a reasonable hour knowing you didn't let dudes stay over (my bad for smudging that part in my storytelling), I chose to stay because I came to see you and wanted to spend time with you. ALL MY CHOSES. But on flipside, I still was taken aback when I had to leave at 12am or 3am (still think it was later than 12 cause trains run faster at that hour). I chose to give you a gift. I chose to carry the gift to you rather than have you lug it around on train. All my choices and I think I laid that out there.

Yes, April we are cool. Anything you need I got you. If you read my blog regularly I constantly write about things from years ago because they are good stories and at the end have some redeeming quality or lesson to learn. Hopefully when I get to actually finish this one, we'll all reach that destination together rather than skipping ahead on an unfinished "story." So again, I didn't write this years later to throw dirt on your fictional name.

But you know what, regardless of house rules stated and confirmations of plans etc, most of what's been written in part 1 & 2 are a reflection of my feelings in that moment years ago. I was tight waiting by my own choice and then having to go home past midnight and the rest of the stuff that will be revealed in part 3. But again I waited because I chose to, I stayed because I chose to, etc. Those are my decisions, my cross to bear and these posts are reflections of my thought process at the time of going through everything.

I APOLOGIZE for the fact you took offense to these two posts thus far because I purposely change names and things to protect people's identity and sometimes people know that the "characters" are based on them and take the stories personal. Not my intention. That's why I called you to have you know I was doing this one rather than you reading on your own and getting hot under the collar. But perhaps I should have called you AFTER part 3 went up so we wouldn't have to go through all this here. We could have spoken about it on phone but I guess I started it by writing about it here first. I'll bite the bullet on that one. Again my intentions were not to put you on front street.

For the record, I'm cool with you. No beef, no drama. I just write about parts of my life and you just happened to be part of this one. Apologies again for offending you, but the story ain't done I guess we'll see in part 3 what really happens.

Welcome to the real world, my sock heads. Shit, now I wanna read part 3 too...
Anonymous

You’ve written this story about how you got chopped and screwed, but all that’s ON YOU, dude. I didn’t ask you to come by (hence why I tried to meet you in the city). I didn’t ask you to stand outside for 2 hours and wait for me. I didn’t ask you to stay at my house until late (it was shortly after midnite, not 3AM). And though I appreciated the thought, I didn’t even ask for a gift. And I most certainly didn’t ask to be shitted on in a 3 part series by someone who insists he’s cool with me. (I hope there's some redemption for me in Part 3, cause right now you're getting serious 'sideeye')

YOU CHOSE to do all of those things for me, a woman, who by your own admission you were “kinda-sorta” seeing and you hung out with “a lot” (ie, we were not seeing eachother, much less in a relationship.) And to write about it years later-- even calling me after you put up Part 2 to tell me about this scathing editorial because you know I don’t read your blog-- is straight up wack.

I apologize for anything I did that resulted in your feelings being hurt as that was definitely not my intention. But um, dude, you made a lot of assumptions and bad decisions that day and you’re blaming me instead of taking responsibility for your own poor judgment. You leaving to come to my house WITHOUT a final CONFIRMATION, isn’t on me. And neither is YOUR CHOICE to wait outside for 2 hours. Frankly, it’s ludicrous to do that for anyone and you could have left at anytime in the 120 minutes before I arrived. You did not have to wait for me. You CHOSE to.

I think basic common sense dictates you should have gone home when I didn’t answer the phone to confirm. At worst, when you got to BK and saw I wasn’t home, you shoulda bounced. To wait... in the cold... For 2 hours? That’s YOUR bad judgment. Don’t make me out to be a bitch because YOU CHOSE to be a martyr.

You knew the rules of my home BEFORE you came to it. That no-staying-ova rule wasn’t something I sprung on you last minute. And you know why the rule is in place— and the very valid reason I enforce it for my own safety (i do thank you for acknowledging that in the comments). Yet you stayed till late. Why? (And I know I pointed out that it was getting late.) You thought I should make an exception because you bought me something or for the sake of our non-existent relationship? Really? GTFOH.

No, really. Get the fuck out of here. Again.

- April.
MsMac

Well this here is pretty interesting as is everything else you write. I'll def be checking bk at midnight!
Anonymous

Thanks for clarifying.

We're cool.

- April
DJ CEO

Ansel, my Monday was pretty bored until I read this. Thank you for writting this story. April thank you for responding and God, thank you for dudes doing whatever it takes for women that they care about and have interests in and for those women to see their relationship in a totally different light, for if it were not for all of that, this story would be boring...lol

Now I wasn't there and I don't know the accurate account of what happened but what I do know is you can't take a dude getting a thoughtful gift for a woman he cares about and make it seem like he did a favor for a favor. Dude just wanted to get on the train when they were running at a reasonable pace that's all. I don't think he felt you owed him April for the gift, he just thought ya'll were cool enough for you to make an exception to the rule this one time.
http://nwso.net NWSO

SB,

I might be naked, but I always keep my socks on. I write about my life and that's my choice but since all my characters don't always have that option I do what I can to keep them clothed. Feel me...
sb

"And since you lived the story, you know that “April” is not 100% you, just a character based on events we share."

so you're saying that you're stories arent 100? i feel like a kind who just got told Santa don't exist :/ hahaha

cot damn at the first official postings at the new site haha publicity stunt? jp LOL
JBakerApr

April, grow up, it's the internet. That entire monologue could have been handled better. My opinion, sorry.
http://dopepenmanship.wordpress.com Clovito

Took me back to my jerry springer days, thanks lol.

I was gonna say April should've told you about the no-staying-over rule a little earlier than 3am but then you said you were advised previously...and she said it was more like midnight...so yeah that's hard to call, homie. At some point before then, you could've been like, I know you don't like guys sleeping over so I'm out! lol. but, hey, hindsight. and you were under the assumption that she'd let you stay. She assumed that you were okay with staying late, even though neither of you stated that out loud.

I think a lot of the problems between men and women, whatever they are to each other, are because of a) miscommunication and b) assumptions
sb

that whole thing deserved a pause, but i feel u lol i know that what u said in ur first posting but yeah i gotcha haha
Eblu

Clovito, I'm with you on point A and B. This looks like total role reversal.

NWS, I can't believe you went through all that trouble and she wasn't your gurl. Where have you been all my life? LOL
http://nwso.net NWSO

Virgo,

try subscribing, you'll get the posts to your email. Not sure if you'll see all my lovely images or be able to comment, but at least you can get your read on.

Or just stay up till midnite and catch the early edition
VirgoVida

Pros: It's 2009, and the site is "da business", as the kids would say.

Cons: I can't check the damn site at work! Maybe Obama will unlock the firewalls after Jan 20th.

Anyhoo.....Damn April is salty! I don't know how NWSO gets himself into all these situations. You're like a comic book character that we follow...but without the special powers.

Part 3....Come on Down!
http://iamtheperfectstorm.blogspot.com Perfect Storm

NWSO,

I see why you were feeling her. She's mad spunky!

As a lady, it was nice that you called to give her a heads up, though. Points.

@Eblu,

Yup. Some girls just have it like that. Damn!
some guy

Guess April was thinking the same thing I was after part 1. I have to admit, I'm surprised more women aren't on April's side on this matter. I don't know her reasons for not letting dudes that aren't family sleep over rule (single ladies should follow suit), but if I ever heard my lil sis had any dudes that weren't preapproved by the family over night I'd whip her ass. That has nothing to do with how good a man you are socks just with the world we live in, everyone is good until they are not.
hanna

i'm with you, some guy! everyone is good until they are not!
Hope2Star

I'm late as usual. I'm glad we got to hear both sides of the story, but I still think April was a bit of a bee-yotch. Just let him sleep on the couch and lock your door LOL..but seriously I'm a woman and I'm sorry but what is with the "no men sleeping over" rule? I get that its for your safety but a man can be "unsafe" any hour of the day. If you are that worried about the guy why have him at your house anyway? Or why have him at your house til 12 or 3 AM what is the difference?
Anonymous

I haven't read part 3 yet so NWSO may be redeemed but I agree with April.

Although you all did agree for you to call her when u were headed her way, she didn't answer or respond to texts prior to you leaving work so that was on you to come over anyway and then wait for 2 hours. That was the chance you took without actually speaking to her.

As far as the no boys/men sleeping over, I feel her on that one too. Speaking from personal experience. I get flack all the time because I don't even invite guys that are not family (heck, even some of them) or my man over. Like Some Guy said, every one is good until they are not. But even putting that aside, there's no way anyone can say anything that we didn't want to happen, happened because they are not here anyway.

Why should she have every Tim, Derrick and Horace up in her spot, friend or not?

Just my take as a single female.

-gagyrl
New Money

wow... ballsy of YOU, sir.. particularly because April continues to be a friend of yours.

I have yet to read 3 (altho I've read 4, lol) but i'll say this- April has every right to her household rules. I don't think that's in dispute. Also, a million things could have prevented her frm being on time. Stuff happens.
But. comparing the tone of yours post vs the tone of your blogs... she seems kind of mean. It seems clear to me as a reader that you liked and respected her, hence the extra steps u took. Both her behavior upon getting up w/u, as described in the blog, and her above comments, seem to throw that in your face and dare you to feel a way about it. It basically sounds like "u liked me? oh well.. kill yourself."

And again, that's based on HER response, more than your blog.
New Money

Sorry... comparing the tone of HER post vs the tone of your blogs
http://www-eyeswideshut.blogspot.com LyRik

Since you set some type of pact I will only say "Wow!" There are definitely two sides to every story, and bottom-line she wasn't feeling you like you were feeling her, at least from the tone that she portrayed in her response. But I guess I need to read the other parts to fully comment...

I just hope that you didn't sugar coat anything, because you now know that "April" is reading your posts.
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