This past Tuesday, I went to my first meetup of the new year. I've been to this restaurant during Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, but never at another time. This place, Char Steakhouse, has a prix-fixe menu on Tuesday nights that is quite good. So I figured that I'd try it out.
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One of the problems with Char is that it is hard to see where their driveway begins and ends in the dark. As a result, I had to go very slow turning into the place, lest I drive my car into a ditch. Once there, it's not always easy to find a parking spot. But what makes things easy for those in the know is that there is a rear entrance to the building that usually serves as the main entrance to the restaurant.
I saw my group, and sat down next to the leader of the group. Soon, someone else came in with a friend, and we all started gabbing. The lady to my side hit it off quite well, and we exchanged numbers, so that we could meet for lunch one day. Hopefully we can do that - but I'll be sure to stay in Marian mode, as not to let gender get in the way of developing a good friendship.
Finally, the waiter came to take our orders, and I chose the Zuppa de Pesce. Yum! I'd come to this restaurant just for that, even though steak is their specialty. Later on, one of the people at our table had to leave early and took care of her bill. One problem - our waiter didn't see this, and thought that she skipped out without paying. So the meetup leader texted this person, and we hoped she'd come back to the restaurant to settle things. A few minutes later, I left the place and took care of an errand before returning home for the evening.
Why do I still go to an occasional meetup?
The answer is relatively simple - I still want to make new friends, and make them as Marian. Some people wonder why I feel more comfortable as Marian, and outside the issue of gender dysphoria, I feel that I enjoy the company of women more than men, and that I prefer not to have the issue of sexual behaviors get in the way of having the friendships I want most.
