01 — I went to Mars

(Part 1/2 of the “Nights in New York” series)

May — 2017

The rain is hitting the windshield of our Uber. Tiny splashes, but still annoying enough for me to have brought this old and colourful umbrella along. We are on our way to a birthday party. An upcoming singer from Greenwich is turning 25.

I’m accompanied by three friends. Well… friends might be a stretch. I actually just met the two of them today. The third guy is called Nick. I met Nick at a networking event last week. Nick is one of those carefree kind of person. He makes you feel at ease. He has a young spirit. I met his wife too. She was quite. The opposite of Nick. We had agreed to grab drinks together the following weekend, and here we are.

Nick is one hell of a guy, even though we’ve only hung out once before I feel that we have known each other for a long time. Which is also a bit weird considering he is 30 and has a kid on the way, and I’m 22 and some people still call me a kid.

Earlier today the four of us met up at a bar in midtown. I was late and it was raining hard. It was my first time experiencing the NY-Rain. What a wonder. The others were already on their 7th drink when I joined them. They had a drink ready for me. The drinks in this dive were weak. It was a kind of restaurant that served buffets and also happened to have a bar. We had some more drinks, moved to get coffee and then some more drinks. At some point in the conversation my friends bring up the party, and I elegantly invite myself.

This has now led to us being squeezed together in a small Uber. To my left is Robert, a consultant from Germany, who’s been relocated to New York. Like Nick he’s married. To my right is Sarah-Jay, a very chill girl around Nick’s age. I’m squeezed in the middle, as usual. Nick is asking Sarah-Jay wether someone named Andy has arrived at the party yet. She tells him that Andy is still at the karaoke bar. Someone mentions that it is a themed party.

We’re walking around the neighbourhood hoping to find a liquor store. As luck would have it we find one that’s open (with the help of our smartphones of course). A group of kids who are clearly not 21 is hanging outside the store. We buy two bottles of champagnes. One for the birthday girl and one for us. They’re nicely wrapped in. None of my friends actually know the host. They were all invited by a mutual friend and I tagged along.

We walk to the location of the party and find the door unlocked. We ascend a narrow staircase and enter a small and lovely apartment. The hallway separates the kitchen and the living room. In between were the locked rooms of people living there. In the hallway we are greeted by the birthday girl herself. Jynx is tall and lean, dressed in 80’s inspired black overalls with a very wide gap down the middle, showing sides of her breasts. Her face is filled with glitter and small shining stars. She has a cute puffy alien on her shoulder. She seems genuinely happy to meet us and welcomes us to the party. Though her face shows that she knows none of us. She introduces us to a guy called Matt who just happens to walk through the hallway at that moment.

She leaves us after the pleasantries and goes into the kitchen. I walk into the living room and chat with people for a bit. I find out that this is a Mars themed party. I decide to go into the kitchen to create an emergency costume. I find some tin foil and wrap it around my right arm. I walk back into the living room. People ask me what I am supposed be. I tell them I am dressed as “that other guy from Daft punk”. This makes them laugh. The party is slowly starting. We’re at the point where people learn each others name, only to forget them the next day. I chat with Matt and find out he’s an investment banker, and that he’s doing pretty well. This surprises me a bit. He’s so young I expected him to be a student. Well this is what you get for assuming things. The other night a pretty girl told me.

“Assuming makes you an ass!”

I guess she was right. (I was assuming she was African)

There’s free alcohol on the table. Sweet! There’s all kinds of coloured plastic cups. I grab a classic red cup. It’s an honor to drink from one of these while being in the US. There’s something romantic in drinking from this cup. Nick, Sarah-Jay and Robert is on the couch talking. I guess the “stick to your group” thing is the same in all places. I like to talk to strangers so I go into the hallway. I meet Tim who’s also in the ad business. The alcohol is kicking in. I’m happier than usual. I write down his contacts for later. He’s with his girlfriend. She is very pretty but shy. The party is taking off. More people are arriving. Glow sticks are supplied. The music is fine and there’s dancing everywhere.

I meet a beautiful Pakistani girl named Karen. She’s created an app for travelers. I am quickly a member. It’s always inspiring to meet female entrepreneurs. It seems that the US are better at encouraging women to become entrepreneurs than back home. Our host joins us. They were very good friends. Jynx tells me about having lived in Africa and how that is an inspiration to her music. Some one puts on a song by Jynx. All the guests dance and sing. It’s a pleasure to watch.

I realise I have been drinking way too much tequila from that skull bottle. When I drink too much I say silly things. Karen shows me the interface of her app. In the app you can send other members a friend request. We look through the list together. I spot a pretty girl.

“I want to be friends with this one.”

“Why her?”

“She looks cute.”

Karen bursts out laughing. I wonder if my statement was that silly. She takes my phone and sends a friend request to the girl. She’s still laughing.

“Alice get over here!”

The girl, who minutes ago was just a profile on an app, approaches us. Karen tells her what I just said and she laughs a little. I don’t know what to make of the situation so I don’t say anything. Alice takes out her phone. She turns the screen towards me and then accepts my request. She smiles.

We’re on a couch. Beside me is Alice and another guy. He told me his name but I forgot. I’ve seen this guy trying to hit on Alice the whole time we’ve been here. “You’ve got first right mate” I say to myself. He has an air of superiority. He’s going the extra mile to impress. I can’t stand this kind of behaviour so I excused myself from the conversation.

I meet a tall and stout guy in the kitchen. He’s got a lot of energy and seems very friendly. He introduces himself as Andy. He asks me where I am from. I tell him Copenhagen.

“Oh really? I have a good friend who’s also from Copenhagen!”

“Wait, is your friend named Nick?”

He looks surprised.

“You’re Andy!”

I don’t think he knew what to say to that.

“You’re the one who told us to crash this party!”

We realise that we’re belong to the same gang. This makes us tight.

My head is spinning a bit. The gang cannot be seen. I start talking to a cute asian girl. She’s a head shorter than me and wearing all black. We’re in the hallway and someone puts on a song by Jynx again. Actually it’s the same song as before. I don’t really mind so I dance with the Asian girl. I find a bottle of rosé in the fridge and I take it for myself. My head is really spinning now. I look around and Nick is telling me that the gang is moving to another spot. We’re in the hallway right beside the stairs. I ask the name of the asian girl. “Jaeng” or “Jing” or something. I couldn’t really hear it. The music was too loud.

“Come with us!”

“Where are you going?”

Well, I really didn’t know. I turn to Nick who’s now at the bottom of the staircase.

“Where are we heading?!”

“Beauty Bar on 14th and 3rd! You coming or what?!”

“Beauty Bar!” I tell her.

“I’m going back to the startup weekend! Maybe later”

At midnight, on a Saturday!? I think to myself.

By now I am really impressed with these women’s level of ambition. She puts her number in my phone. I write ‘Andy’s friend’ as her name.

“Alright guys I’m coming. Wait for me!”

I grab my coat and run down the stairs. I get to the street and they are all gone. Add to that I forgot my umbrella. I look up at the open window of the apartment of the party. The music is loud and the lights are flashing.

I stand alone in the empty streets of West village. The air — not too cold. The sky — dark. A few stars are lighting up. Small drops of rain are hitting my face.