It's 4:30 pm. I haven't had lunch, it's too early for dinner and I've had to leave the house for the bug man to spray and can't go back for four hours. I'm in a new city, knowing exactly zero people and I'm craving pizza. What's a girl to do, but go get her some pizza? So I find myself sitting in a pizza/pub restaurant (Slice of Life in Wilmington, NC) with seven men, a very young and cute female waitperson, Heather, and a cook.

Not having anyone to talk to, I am trying not to be obvious as I eavesdrop on the conversations that surround me.

What else brings these people into the restaurant at this hour? One man, flirts with Heather, one minute telling her how cute she is and the next telling her he is married like that makes his obnoxiousness OK. Another two men are deep in a low-toned conversation, oblivious to the happenings around them. The other four joke and talk loudly about life's minutia while sipping on their beers. The music plays loudly over the restaurant speakers making all the conversation seem to blend in some kind cosmic chorus.

I'm sitting separated from them all, watching, listening, sipping my wine, water (no ice) and nibbling my delicious pizza. And typing the scene into my computer.

I'm not used to alone dining. I'm used to having a huge friends list to call, ask out for a cup of coffee, glass of wine or a last minute crave-filling jaunt for pizza. But dining alone is surprisingly not lonely. It's actually a bit exhilarating. Having not previously conquered this aspect of being single, I feel as if each time I eat alone in a public place I am climbing a little higher on the OK mountain of being single. You know?

Anyway, the pizza is delicious. They have the best dough ends I've sampled in a long time. If you're not interested in the crust, you might not be impressed, but there's a good inch on each slice of pizza that is just their freshly made dough and stray cheese that bubbles as it bakes and  puffs up to be amazing bread sticks at the end of each slice. Today I chose red onion, mushroom and meatball. Wonderful.

It's an interesting scene, Don't Stop by Foster the People plays on the speakers. The restaurant continues to fill with men and me the lone female, save the waitress, and yet it feels safe and comfortable. Maybe this single life in a new city is gonna work out after all.