S1 Ep.2 | CALIFORNIA GOODBYE Manhattan Monday
New York projects hit differently
Waking up on the couch with the cat named Cat I realize it’s Sunday and time to bring the kitty back to her owner, my tech bestie Chelsea. I also need to pack for New York since the payment from the random guy named Roger who called me on my darkest day did indeed pay his $50,000 retainer.
I couldn’t shake what I was feeling however as related to Chibuzo roasting me at lunch the other day. Was I really in the soup? Was this Roger guy bad news?
It was too late now anyway. All I could do was get kitty home and start packing myself so that I could be in Manhattan by Monday to start a few days of work there. I was going to miss Chelsea’s cat to be honest I think having a fluffy small animal around had kept me sane again. I picked up the kitty and put her in her crate so we could drive over the bridge to Los Hellas.
In the car I tried to guess and play music the cat would like. She seems to like it all so we settled on Motown classic. Vibing in the car we finally got to Chelsea’s apartment and for once there was street parking open in front of her place. She was already outside her building, because, hacker.
Me: Sup girl. I brought you pussy.
Chelsea: Funny, because you know I ain’t seen any in a while
Me: True. Little fluff thing was fun tho here I will help
I stopped the car and got the kitty carrier out of the backseat of my car and handed it to Chelsea then hugged her. She looked hungover.
Chelsea: I’m kinda dead to be honest. That hackathon the last day of the conference literally killed me. All those hacker bros live off of Zyn. I get it but I just… can’t
Me: Well Cat was great. She enjoyed licking ice cream bowls, sleeping on my depressed ass and putting cat hair on everything. We had fun
Chelsea: Awesome. I actually thought by day three you would quit. I’m surprised you made it the whole nine days thats impressive. You are almost like, domesticated yourself
Me: Don’t speak too soon on that. Looks like I took on a project in New York. I’m actually flying out tonight on a red eye
Chelsea: Oomph. A red eye too? Brutal
Me: Well, I didn’t want to not see you or ditch the kitty a half a day early. Its all about making sure a girl can finish… get it?
Chelsea: Yes. I’m just not in a cheeky mood as I’m on no sleep and enough caffeine drinks that I can hear the tree on the sidewalk vibrating. Which is enough vibration for me at the moment if you know what I mean
Chelsea is insanely tired but her cheeky joke tells me she is still alive, phew
Me: Okay well I gotta go and drop my own kitty, I mean self off at the airport. See you next weekend?
Chelsea: For sure. Let’s grab a proper gay brunch. I need another ex-wife
I hug Chelsea and put my hands in the cage of her super calm cat who acts like a child of divorce and this handoff is routine. On the car ride back I listen to rock music and scream the lyrics to keep myself awake.
Fly Me to the Moon
On the red eye flight to New York I can’t sleep. I think about how I never did take a moment to consider if this person or project is something I wanted yet here I was. Flying across the country because I already accepted payment.
Having only my carryon I take a taxi to where I will be staying the next few days and nights. It’s daytime now for New York which is always the worst without sleep.
The taxi pulls up to a tall luxury building in midtown. I check in at the from desk “David Silverman, please” they buzz David who I am assuming gave permission as they motion for me to the elevators. I hold my little travel bag feeling like a school girl.
I get to the door of his unit and before I can knock on the door David opens it slowly, with a big grin on his face
David: Ms. Ella Taylor. What a pleasure like usual
I give him kisses on the cheeks as any European deserves but don’t yet say a word because I am unsure where to begin.
David: Mimosa? I know its only 9am but might help you get a burst of sugar and I don’t have work for another hour or so since we were up late last night doing a product update, because startup life
I can feel my cheeks nearly break with happiness, its so nice to be dotted on
Me: Yes, please. Also I need to tell you about my project here
David: Sure thing. Let me get you some bubbles and tell me all about it. In under 48 minutes please
David winks at me. Despite his British accent he’s actually Israeli and one minute gives off vibes of a gigolo and the other a schoolboy and he knows it. That’s where he lives with his charm. My crush on him dates back to Jewish summer camp but right now he just happens to have the nicest apartment I could stay at for free and is in town while I need to be in town. He hands me the coldest most delicious looking mimosa I have ever seen, he had two champagne glasses in the freezer awaiting my arrival.
Me: So it’s a crazy story but I am here essentially because some rich guys on Wall Street want me to build them a mobile app and I said yes because, well, I need the money. I am SO BROKE. Writing this book nearly killed me
David sips his mimosa almost taking pleasure hearing vulnerability in my voice for once. He just looks at me like he wants to lick me
David: That’s hilarious
Me: What? That’s funny to you?
David: Yes. It is. You are like this super badass lady and you got sidetracked by a stupid book and then end up with these weirdo guys. I love it
Me: You can’t be serious?
David: I am 100% serious.
Me: That’s just evil
David: Who said I wasn’t evil?
Me: good point. I’ll remember that
David: You say that but as soon as there is something shiny you forget
Looking at David I see the background of the morning sun across the city skyline of Manhattan and notice he has nearly chugged his mimosa while mine has a few sips. David looks up at a clock on the wall, I take note. I slam my mimosa back
David: one more? I only have about a half hour more
I nod yes. The mimosas are night after the long flight
David: Okay so, you are here at Hotel David for what. Two nights? Three? Forever?
Me: Probably just two nights. I have meetings later today with the dudes, a user workshop tomorrow then I hope day after to fly back to Oakland
David: Alright fair enough. The housecleaners come Friday morning anyway. And then… are you going to moooove here?
Me: As of right now, no? I guess it depends on how much of a full time job this ends up being
David: It sounds like from the retainer these guys will want you around a lot
Me: Let’s see
David: You have your own bathroom as you know, bed is all set. You’re welcome for that
David points to half of the condo which appear to be the guest room. I use my arms to motion that I need a shower. David downs his second mimosa setting the empty glass on the kitchen counter
David: Well, Shalom, and consider this your home for a bit I guess. Great seeing you, dinner tonight?
I nod my head yes and take my barely finished mimosa to the bathroom for a shower and to freshen up. I look at myself in the large, fancy bathroom mirror thinking about how surreal it is to be in New York, about to work on a project, staying at my summercamp crushes’ apartment. Was this meant to be? Was this my sign?
Product Brainstorm Session
David hides in his office across the apartment and by the time I need to leave for my meetings which are closeby to his building. With a coat, I walk since the weather is nice enough and it’s only a few short blocks to meet the Wall Street dudes I’m supposed to build a mobile app for.
I arrive at the address and it’s a very large, fancy building, filled with mostly hedge funds and law firms. There’s several elevators in the lobby for the varying floors, it’s almost a big overwhelming.
I go from the main building reception who give me a security badge, to another reception on the floor level, who send me down the hall to a final reception desk to checkin “Ella Taylor” I tell the lady who looks like if New Jersey had a female cutout. She smacks her gum and bright nails giving me the hand motion for “one moment.”
Receptionist: Alright, Ms. Taylor I presume. They are ready for you. Go ahead and go down the hall, they are in conference room A2. Thank you.
Feeling nervous and thirsty at the same time she reads my mind
Receptionist: There’s refreshments in the room including water. Enjoy.
For some reason all the courage I had a week or so before has left my body. I’m now questioning everything, why I said yes, what is this project, why am I here, staying with a Jewish crush. What the fuck are we doing Ella. I find the room labeled A2 and turn to go inside only to see one of the biggest conference rooms I have ever seen in my life and a room of no less than eight men, all in suits, sitting there casually chatting with each other about daily items. I stand in the doorway and knock on the wall. Why? Not really sure but I do. As I make the slight noise with my knocking, all 8+ men instantly stand up and adjust their suits. One man in particular walks towards me from the group with his hand firmly extended out
"Hello, I’m Roger Klein. You must be the famous Ella Taylor thank you for coming today”
Roger shakes my hand while the room of men stare at us both and our every move. I feel like I’m being accepted into a private club or interviewed for law school, I can’t exactly tell. Its not a tech vibe though and certainly not your normal group of “dudes” who want a mobile app
Roger: Welcome, have a seat. Let us tell you about the mobile app we want to build. Can we get you a refreshment?