11th Street Bar, East Village

Saturday, 10:30pm

11th Street Bar
510 East 11th St. (Avenue A)

At 11th Street bar we verified our theory that Midnight is the witching hour. When we walked in the general volume was lively but low enough for regular-voiced conversation; Traveling Wilburys gently sang in the background. Karina and a silver-haired Man (not a CNN newscaster) struck up conversation over (literally and figuratively) the barstool between them. When Karina got up to investigate the bathroom she deemed "acceptable" Sara picked up talking to the Man, who'd already called her "fiesty" for teasing him about his interest in said barstool.

Man: This is my first time here. I came because I heard it's a Liverpool bar. I mean soccer, which I call football.
Sara: What's your team?
Man: Barcelona. Do you follow?
Sara: No. But I watch the World Cup.
Man: Have you watched any qualification matches?
Sara: No.
Man: Do you know who is in so far?
Sara: No.
Man: How do you know what to watch?
Sara: I go to a bar and pick a team.
Man: How? Color? What's your favorite color?
Sara: I don't know...blue? red?
Man: You're impossible. Just kidding.

Karina returned and the three continued to converse. The Man was careful to qualify his harmless jabs (you're stubborn; she's got a little fire) with an immediate "just kidding." The Man, it turned out, is about a month shy of 51 (Karina guessed 46; Sara guessed 47).  He was disappointed that  soccer was not on the TVs. But he lingered and chatted with us until we asked him his profession. That's a question he does not like. He'd rather get to know someone first. We said that was a way to get to know someone, but he did not agree. Eventually he succumbed (as soon as we said we no longer cared). And guess what? He's a colorist. How awesome is that? Very. Guess that's why he guessed color would be our soccer-cheering-guide. Then he wouldn't tell us how much it costs to come in and get color. Eventually he succumbed...

Comments

[karina]

in my defense, i only guessed 46 to be polite. i am pretty sure i wouldn't want anyone guessing anywhere close to my age on first sight.