Our lunch smelled delicious! I had to admit, no matter how good I was at choosing food; Kristin seemed to know the right places too. “So, what made you discover my music?” I swallowed the bit of sausage I just took and wiped my mouth “Well, it was Wicked album that introduced me to you really, but Sophie introduced me to Wicked” I took a sip of my drink “She let me hear some songs and at first I thought I really liked Elphaba, because I could relate. But the more I listened to Loathing and Popular, the more I liked Glinda. And then of course I had to find out more about you and the rest is history as they say”

Kristin smiled “what’s your favourite song from the show?” Oy, that was difficult. “Well, I adore Popular because of the bounciness. I love Dancing through Life, but really only the version with Oliver Tompsett. He just has the sexiest voice ever. I really love Thank Goodness too; your version is so gorgeous. And, well, For Good. For Good has had me crying since the first time I heard it. I think a lot of people can really relate to that song. The lyrics are just so beautiful! Whether I’m listening to it in German or English, I’m all teary eyed and sobbing. Oh and if you listen to Kerry Ellis, the London Elphaba, her No Good Deed is freaking awesome!”

I was getting all excited over the show again. “I just wish I could have seen you live. You on Vicodin would have been the best thing to see, I think” Was Kristin suddenly blushing? The Vicodin story wasn’t that embarrassing was it? I could have mentioned her Little Bo-Peep story or lighting her own hair on fire. “But you know, it wasn’t until I got Annie with you as Lily that I realised I had seen you before” grinning at her, I finished the rest of my sausage quickly and gulped down the last of my coke.

“I realised I had seen that movie before when they first brought it out on TV, I also remembered that I liked your Lily better than the original one” She mouthed an O “Better than Bernadette Peters?” She seemed genuinely surprised when I nodded at her. “I just didn’t like it that they kept your Lily with the orphans while Miss Hannigan and Rooster went to Warbucks and pretend they were Annie’s parents. But then again, you got to do the whole ‘my lipstick is sealed’ line, which was hilarious”

We finished our lunch and ordered a piece of pie for dessert. “Have you seen any other things I did?” Ooh, this was dangerous territory. I was going to sounds like I was obsessed, for sure. I stared in my coffee cup “Actually, I have all your movies on DVD, including Candide, Elmo’s world; what makes you happy, Show business; the road to Broadway and The Best of the Boston Pops. Oh and I have your episode of Ugly Betty” I said in a tiny voice, tapping my index fingers against each other.

I was a little embarrassed, to be honest. “What? Every dvd?” she seemed shocked “Uhuh, every dvd… Annie, Best of the Boston Pops, Bewitched, Candide, Deck the Halls, Elmo’s World; what makes you happy, Running With Scissors, RV, Show Business; the road to Broadway, Stranger Than Fiction, The Music Man, The Pink Panther, Ugly Betty… I also saw Kristin the series, Robot Chicken, Pushing Daisies, Frasier; the junior agent episode.” Was I sounding cocky? Was it wrong to feel proud that I had seen her in so many things?

It was silent for a couple of minutes. I looked up at her to see if she was still there. She was the one gaping at me right now “And to finish the list and probably sound even more crazy and obsessed and after that you probably don’t want to hang around me anymore… I have the Music Man soundtrack, You’re A Good Man Charlie brown soundtrack, Wicked soundtrack, Let Yourself Go and As I am” I tasted blood on my tongue. Biting your lip too hard will do that. I was terrified of her reaction, would she freak out? Would she be grossed out? I didn’t really want to know, what I really wanted to do was hide under the table, my face in my hands.

“Wow” that was the only thing she said after a very long and silent minute. I looked up again, seeing a fleet of emotions crossing her face. Puzzlement, thoughtfulness, happiness and something else? Pride? Adoration? I couldn’t tell. It was as quickly gone as it had come. “That’s quite a collection. Where did you get all the money? It must have cost you a fortune!” Sorry mom and dad. “It was quite expensive, but ordering from Amazon is a lovely thing. And I earned it all legally”

The pie was brought in and we both too a bite. Heavenly, just heavenly. “So what did you like the best of your collection?” Oh no, not again. I sighed and thought about it. “I have to say, it really depends on my mood. I really love everything. With the cd’s I think I love As I Am the most, the songs are all just so, so beautiful. But with the movies, I always have a hard time choosing. One moment I’m watching Annie and I fall in love with that movie. Then I watch The Music Man and I fall in love with that movie. Than sometimes I need a bit of comedy I watch Bewitched, just to see you and Nicole, you both rock! And Michael Cain is a very talented guy! Or I watch Deck the Halls, and cry when you sing O Holy Night. If I want music I’ll put on Candide. Which is also comedy a bit to me, because your version of Glitter and be Gay is a homerun”.

I stopped talking suddenly “I’m rambling again aren’t I?” Where was the off button for that? Kristin shrugged “I asked, didn’t I?” True, she had asked of course. But I talk way too much and quick when I get nervous. After we finished our pie, I took out my wallet “how much do I owe you?” A burst of laughter was my reply. “You silly girl. I don’t do double Dutch, this lunch is on me.” Oh boy “You know… I’m Dutch right?” Surprise! She looked shocked “Oh, did I offend you?” She looked pretty scared too “I didn’t mean anything by it”. I patted her hand “It’s okay, I just never really get that expression, makes it sound like we only want to pay for what we ate. But I always see it as offering a helping hand. I feel bad if I let someone else pay for everything”.

Kristin had gone to the counter and paid. When she came back, she handed me a lollipop. “Cherry flavour” she remarked. “Ooh, my favourite!” I unwrapped it quickly “Thanks Kristin!” When we walked out of the restaurant, all that was heard were street noises. Both of us were enjoying our lollipop. She had her sunglasses back in place again and the pink hat had also found its way back to the top of her head. Now what? I looked both ways of the street. Shops on the left side, shops on the right side.

“How good are you at heights?” Kristin opened her mouth to answer and closed it again, eying me suspiciously “what kind of heights are we talking about here?” A mischievous grin decorated my face “I mean really high heights.” “Like…?” I don’t think she trusted me very much right that second. I couldn’t blame her really. “What if we went to an amusement park or something? I would love, love, LOVE to ride a roller coaster with you” She suddenly grabbed my hands and jumped up and down “I love roller coasters!” Yay for me!

We had walked to Kristin’s Mercedes and she had driven us to an amusement park. It was past one by the time we left the diner and I didn’t really want to loose too much time with her, so I was pleasantly surprised that the amusement park was close by. Even with New York traffic, it didn’t take us too long. “Do you have any plans for after the park?” I nodded, best to tell her everything now and hope she liked it “Okay so after the amusement park, I thought maybe we could go shopping for some ingredients” Suddenly she seemed all ears at the sound of ingredients “then maybe an early dinner somewhere, I don’t think I would be too hungry after that wonderful lunch. IHOP really beats the heck out of any restaurant I know. And then afterwards we could go to your house maybe and watch a movie” Oh… was I being presumptuous? Would she mind going to her house? I hadn’t even really thought about it. She gave me a quick look. "My house? I don't know..." quick brain, think! "Oh, but I wanted to bake cookies! And in the hotel I don't have an oven. I don't know anybody else here in New York. So your house would be the only option."

Slowly Kristin turned her head towards me "you bake?" score! "yes ma'am, I do. I have been baking since I was 6" She still seemed to doubt. When she looked back to the road, I continued "Can you imagine, your house smelling like home made cookies, fresh cookies straight from the oven. If I make chocolate chip cookies, the chocolate would still be nice and warm". She leaned back in her seat, her eyes glazing over with hunger "I can teach you how to make the, you'll be able to make them later on, on your own" She licked her lips once... twice... three times. I was in the ball park "okay deal, you bake me cookies, we'll watch the movies at my house"

We sat in silence for a while. I stared out the window at buildings passing by, humming a tune. “What’s that song you’re humming? It sounds so familiar.” Thinking about it for a while, I suddenly remembered. “Oh! That’s “Feels Like Home. That duet you did with Nathan Gun. It was so brilliant. I loved you even more after you were mouthing words. Or playing an imaginary flute, for that matter.” She smiled “I loved doing that song with Nathan.” I knew what she was gonna say next “He’s so hot!” We said at the same time. Kristin shot a glance at me. I covered my eyes with my hands and mouthed “I’m not looking” at her. “Mo! Are you mocking me?” I could hear by the sound of her voice that she was repressing laughter as best she could. But in the end she failed and both laughed.

“You’re really crazy are you?” oh, gee wiz, really? “Yes Ma’am, I’m as nuts as a squirrel.” Was that even correct? “Should I be worried?” Kristin snickered. “Nah, I’m not crazy. Just, happily insane. I like laughing with people I feel comfortable with.” I turned around in my seat, as far as my seatbelt would allow anyway, and looked at her “I’m a laugh whore. I’d do anything to get people to laugh.” Another quick glance “If you keep doing that, you’re gonna strain your neck again, sweetie” I patted her on the shoulder.
I couldn’t remember when I had so much fun, shooting remarks back and forth, with someone. Of course I had a lot of fun on the internet with people, but being with some one real was always different.

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