The Life and Times of Totally Tyler

Eric is a writer-friend of mine that wears too much jewelry but he shares my love for a delicious cocktail and a hearty laugh. We are both busy New Yorkers but we do our best to meet once or twice a month for brunch. Brunch is a big deal.

It’s standing room only on a downtown 2 Train. I am wedged against the wall and I chuckle to myself as I watch other standing passengers jockeying for a seat. Much like trying to find a parking space at the mall during holiday season, people hover around a seated passenger who looks like they might be getting up.

What does it mean when I like a guy and our first date ends in a three-way? What kind of signal am I sending? It started off innocently enough: dinner at Five Napkin Burger followed by drinks at 9th Avenue Saloon.

Recently, the bartender at the 9th Avenue Saloon called upon me to assist a drunken old man at the jukebox. “He’s killing my bar with the depressing music he’s playing,” he said. The 9th Avenue Saloon is one of my favorite dive bars at which I am often the recipient of a free drink, so I complied without hesitation, saddling up to the jukebox next to the old man.

Sunday brunch with Auntie Richard and his friends is always a treat. We meet at 10 X 44, where the food is almost as delicious as the waiters and the drinks are smooth and strong. Our group is a lively bunch, consisting of playwrights, television critics and gossip columnists.