Dear Cecily

I know you can't see my words right now but I'm gonna say what's on my mind anyways.

I was mad that you told me that your boss was sending you to New Orleans and that we couldn't see each other again this weekend in D.C.

I'm even more pissed that I can do nothing for you now as you make your way to Houston on one of those coach buses.

You told me how you lost your luggage, your wallet, your laptop, your cell phone charger (basically everything you brought with you). You told me your hotel room was on the first floor and now it is under water.

You told me how you are wearing the same clothes from Saturday and about staying inside of the Superdome in New Orleans.

And that's when your sidekick battery died on Sunday night.

My life line to you was cut off. So, I waited...

I didn't hear from you on Monday...

Not a peep on Tuesday...

and finally I was able to get a connection on Wednesday night. It was as if the world froze and it was only you and me when I heard your voice.

You don't even understand how soothing that conversation was for me to know that your safe and hopefully getting on a flight to D.C very, very soon.

I will never forget the first time we met. It was on a Thursday evening and I had invited you to join me for "Soul Kitchen." Before we went inside Clayton's Restaurant in Albany, N.Y. for the amateur poetry night, we sat on one of the benches outside in the park across the street. I told you to arrive at 6 p.m. and you were little early. We talked for an hour sitting a couple feet away from each other and our eyes never left each other's faces. I thought you were beautiful with your sparkling eyes and your million-dollar smile.

We walked inside and we listened to the poets do their thing. The event finished at 10:30 p.m. and we stood outside the restaurant and talked some more. I felt a connection to you that I knew I would need more time to decipher it.

We talked about that second date. It still hasn't happened.

Granted...our schedules in Albany got hectic after that first date and then things changed. As I told you while we were on the swings in Washington Park, I got the job offer in New Jersey.

Hence that is why I'm typing this message now. You then told me you're moving to D.C. and furthermore that is where you will be again soon.

When you're settled again and after you've had to time erase this crazy experience from your mind, I would be honored to have a second date with you. There is no statue of limitations on this request. It is just a promise that I'm ready...whenever you are.