I was 18 or so years old, freshman in monroe college. I still lived at home with mom in the bronx.
Back in those days me and my buddy Albert used to head up to south street seaport to go “fishing”.
Fishing for all practical purposes meant going to meet girls. South street seaport was a great place for me, back then it was the only place (aside from school, and the 3 that I met there were all committed) that had asian chicks.
I met 2 that remain in my memory, Maggie Lee, aka Shi Wa Lee, she worked in the chinese restaurant I used to frequent. We exchanged numbers and spoke a few times, but it never amounted to anything, we sort of lost touch.
Later I met Tina Chan, aka Chan Bobo. She worked at “cinnabon” on south street seaport. We hung out a few times, I recall sitting at the world trade center with her, laying my head on her lap and her caressing my hair. It was a sweet experience.
After a few “dates” she decided to come to my house with me. We were alone in the room, kissing and that was pretty much it.
I was still a virgin, and really had no idea how to initiate anything. I wanted it, but didn’t know how to set it off. On hindsight, I’m glad I didn’t because I didn’t have condoms nor any intent to use them. I was thoroughly unprepared.
So we hung out and kissed for awhile then she decided to go home. I took her to her subway stop then came back home.
After this day at my place though she never called me back. I called her, and wrote her, but nothing. One of her friends went to school with me, some douche bag named Dean or something, he thought it was pretty funny to see me grovel over her.
I really liked her and I wanted to know what I did wrong. One day I showed up at “cinnabon” and she reluctantly decided to see me and take a walk. So we walked and spoke for awhile. It was a particularly chilly autumn night, so I offered to hold her and keep her warm.
We sat on a bench overlooking the water quietly for awhile, then she said “Angel, you are such a great man, a true gentlemen, I know you mean well, but you are just too slow for me. I don’t want to see you anymore, I’m sorry”. And she left me there.
I sat there, I teared, I cried, I panicked, I wanted to run in and declare my love for her. But I sat, and eventually I left. I was so hurt and sad.
I saw her friend Dean one time, and laughing at me he said “dude, I know you are hurt, but come on she was at your house and you didn’t bang her, she felt offended. You gave too much respect to this hoe, you should of just f*cked her”.
I then realized the type of person she was, as opposed to the person I thought she was. I started to forget her then. I wasn’t that type of a person.
Don’t get me wrong, as a grown man I’ve done my things or whatever, but back then I was pure innocence. Had this happened now, well……..
So Tina Chan, Chan Bobo, Avenue X,
Brooklyn, worked at cinnabon like 10 years ago, you broke my heart. I was a gentlemen and you held that against me. I’ve grown, I am far from slow nowadays, and you were a small part of my change. I hope time has treated you well.
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