Photo by Diane Krauthamer
Ed. Note: If this was you and you are interested, please email [email protected] so I can put you in touch with OP.
“Dear PoPville,
To Mr. B — the DC traveler I talked with for hours in NYC
We met in late May, in the middle of the busiest place on earth — NYC — yet somehow, it felt like the city fell away. In the middle of all that noise, we found quiet in each other. For nearly 8 hours, we sat across from each other in the warm hush of a crowded bar, as if the world had decided to quiet down just for us.
Neither of us was really supposed to be there. My reservation had been canceled, and you mentioned no one in your family could meet up that night. Two separate plans, quietly falling through — and somehow, they led us to the same place, at the same time. There was something serendipitous about that.
We talked about everything — your work, my work, your family, mine. Nothing felt forced. There was space, honesty, even laughter. You were thoughtful, kind, and a true gentleman the entire night. The kind of presence that lingers.
You said you live in DC and were only in town briefly. You travel often for work. We didn’t exchange information — a detail that’s echoed in my mind since. But before we said goodbye, you smiled and said, “You can find me.”
So here I am — veering out of my lane, because you said you don’t like when people just stay in theirs and don’t try. At the same time, I remember you don’t like when people come on too strong. So I hope this isn’t too much. Just a quiet gesture toward something that felt unexpectedly real.
You couldn’t believe my name — Nastasha, with an S. A small thing, but it made you pause, and that moment has stayed with me.
Maybe this is just a long shot. Or maybe it’s another small sign — the kind the universe leaves behind when it’s trying to bring something back around.
If you see this, and you remember too, I’d love to finish the conversation. And thank you, for taking the first step that night, and for showing up so fully in that moment. It meant more than you know.
-N”
Ed. Note: If this is you, please email [email protected] so I can put you in touch with OP. PoPville is not affiliated with either party, please proceed with any potential connection at your own risk using caution as you would any online encounter. For those curious about past missed connections, many have been made and when possible I’ll try to update when/if more are made. The Sundress Fest MC was connected!