Please! 3 Minutes I promise! I'll Give You My Phone!

My feet were burning. They were tingling. They were rubbing. I debated whether I would really get parasites from all the feces and other junk on the streets if I just took them off to run and race ahead. I didn't take them off. All the feelings are general and typical ones your feet struggle through after a long night of "king of the castle" battle between feet and stilettos.

20-minute20-minute

My legs...super unfortunately also felt this pain.

It sucked.

As the field hockey episode was brought back to life as my chaffs re-chaffed with each step down the New York streets. I decided to walk without letting my legs un-press, and that sort of helped.

This shuffle without my legs actually being allowed to walk freely may have also been prompted by the direst of needs.

The need to pee.

I hate it.

It hates me.

I was the only person who needed to use the bathroom but kindly everyone in the group was willing to be on board with finding me somewhere. We stopped loitering outside of the venue after well... a while... and by this point, it was settling in. I was fine struggling to walk behind the rest of the pack though. I just occupied myself by walking and talking with a successful-young-attractive-moneymaking-NYC-guy for a while and that kept me fine for a time.

Chelsea Market which was supposed to be my savior and open until 2 pm... was closed, or at least all the doors we found. We missed the Starbucks Reserve by literally 5 minutes. It closed at midnight...so what was I to do? The bars and clubs are all 21 and older. WE, no one in our group, of course, thought to look up a restaurant that could be open, but it's just as well because now I will never forget this toilet experience.

My group was standing just off a ramp-up to a door with sparkling gold, light-up sign above it. We stopped to try to find me a bathroom and I also just to pause. At this point, I was fine with a bush (if there even are those in Manhatten) but the universe was in my favor tonight.

I saw a few of my friends asking where a bathroom might be to a man leaning on the building wall by us. "Who needs to go," he said in some accent, possibly Slavic.

Standing apart from the group but easily seen through a gap I called out "Me!" as I waved my hand and smiled trying to dazzle, yet sheepish.

"And you are underaged?"

"Yes," I said chagrinned.

"Okay. I do a very nice thing. Come with me," he said as he put out his cigarette and began to walk up the ramp towards the club entrance.

Inside, almost, just had to get past the bouncer which would prove to be interesting. My Knight in black shirt and jeans stepped to the stair leading down to the club. He was next to the bouncer and I hung back. "I need a favor. I'm gonna let her use the bathroom. She'll be 3 minutes."

The ANGRY bouncer shook his head with a little disbelief. "You are gonna need to get Joe's approval for that. I am not saying yes to that."

"Come on," my hero vouched "Her friends are all out there. They are a super nice group. She just needs to go down and I'll bring her back up. I promise 3 minutes."

I wasn't sure if I should speak or not but decked out in my finery I thought I would be bold and stand up (more like beg for) my right to a toilet. Sure I may be probably aksing these guys to risk their jobs and break NY law but oh well. "I promise 3 minutes. No less than 3 minutes. Here, I'll give you my phone to keep."

The bouncer looked angry and put his head in his hands exasperated at the very least, shook his head again and jabbed his hand down the stairs.

I took off running down to the basement club as fast as I could without peeing or tripping. I ran into the stall and went faster than maybe ever before. I knew the generous stranger was waiting outside the bathroom for me. Although I felt a little uncomfortable with how selfless and uncalled for this act of kindness was. I mean going so far as to fight with and vouch for me and my friends to the bouncer....why? But I knew an angry man would come looking to throw me out or knight in black shit and jeans would lose his job so I felt like I was pretty safe following him down there.

I ran out of the bathroom shaking my hands dry and the man was already walking towards to the stairs. He called up that I was coming back.

I hardly had time to pour as much gratitude as a few brief words could hold but he waved me off and was disappearing into another room. The least I could do for him was get out ASAP and show the angry bouncer I was out so I ran up the stairs. I waved to the bounced to try and get his attention so he knew I was upstairs. He didn't acknowledge me as he checked the ID's of two people I dodged. I yelled thanks and went back into the night air.

Moral: Ask and you shall be given I guess...in this case, a stranger really came through and I am so stunned by his going out of his way to help me. Not all hero's wear capes and I want to remember this man and being a capless hero too when I can. Do the things you can to help someone, it may have an impact far greater than you know. Oh and have comfortable shoes for enjoying the city the day after.

Blundstones are SO COMFORTABLE