My sister Liz was going to be in New York to sing with a group at Carnegie Hall and had invited me into the city to stay with her for a few days. I hadn’t been in the city since she moved out of her high rise apartment there six years ago and moved South to be in the country.
For weeks we reminisced about all of our favorite places that we used to haunt; restaurants, spas, museums, and parks.
A week before the trip I got a phone call from her. “I just e-mailed you the itinerary for New York.” She said.
“Okay, great!” I put the phone on speaker and laid it on the couch cushion next to me while I grabbed my laptop. “I’ll pull it up right now.” When I went to my mail, hers was the first e-mail that popped up. “I’ve got it!” I called as I clicked on the link. “Wow! It’s three pages long!”
“Well, I am going to be in the city for a week.”
I began scanning the itinerary. “You actually have the time my boat arrives and the Pier I’m docking at?”
“Of course I do.” She laughed. “You’re part of the itinerary.”
I was flipping through the pages. “You’ve booked teas, facials, Broadway shows and dinners! All I can say is wow!”
“Yup. Everything is booked and waiting for us.”
I looked at the night of her performance. “Wait. There’s a dinner cruise after your performance?”
“Sailing around New York Harbor with the city as the backdrop!” I could hear her sigh. “It’s going to be beautiful!”
“I’m sure it will be but you’re not boarding the boat until eleven at night?” I’m glad we were on the phone so she couldn’t see how big my eyes were.
“The concert is over around ten so by the time everyone gets back to the hotel, changes clothes, and gets across town to the Pier, eleven is almost cutting it close.”
In my head I was chanting “Don’t be a party pooper. Don’t be a party pooper.” But I couldn’t help but be honest. “I’m usually in my pj’s by eight.”
“But this is New York!” Liz cried. “We’re going on an adventure!”
“You’re right.” I nodded to myself before I let out a small sigh. “I’ve got to change my mindset.” I scanned the itinerary further. “Wait. Some of the breakfast and dinner reservations say they’re for eight people.”
“I know!” I could hear the excitement in her voice. “I want you to meet my friends that are going to be singing with me!”
“But you know how nervous I get when I have to meet new people.” Once again I was glad we were on the phone and she couldn’t see the pained look on my face. It was moments like this that I could see how socially different my sister and I were. She loved parties and events. She loved going to them. She loved planning them. She was the-more-the-merrier type of person.
I, on the other hand, was perfectly content sitting at home, in my pj’s by eight, reading a book, and sipping a glass of wine all be myself.
“They’re really nice couples.” She continued. “You’re going to love them!”
“I’m sure they are.” I said with a smile as I chanted in my head “It’s okay to get out of my comfort zone. I’m going to be okay.” I looked back at all the wonderful things she had planned for us. “Thanks for setting everything up.”
“You’re welcome.” She started to laugh. “Now get packing! We’re meeting in New York in less than a week!”
“I can’t wait!” I said before we hung up the phone. I looked back at the itinerary. “I’m going to have a good time.” I said as my son Alex came into the room.
“Doing what?” He asked.
I turned my computer around so he could see the email. “Aunt Lizzy sent me the itinerary for when we’re in the city.”
Alex began reading it and I saw his eyebrows go up. “Dinner reservations for eight?”
“I’m meeting her friends.” I said with a little hitch in my voice.
Alex laughed as he patted me on the shoulder. “Good luck with that. You always love to meet new people.”
“You’re not helping!” I cried.
“You’ll be fine.” He called over his shoulder as he headed for the kitchen. “You’re going to be with Aunt Liz.”
“That’s true.” I looked back at the itinerary. “It really is going to be an amazing trip.”
Slice of Life 