mistermainevent

My evening came to an end sooner than anticipated, so what the hell - here's an update.

After a bumpy flight which afforded me very little opportunity to sleep, i landed in Phoenix yesterday around 4:00. The rental car they gave me is a Dodge Caliber, which is a squat, ugly thing shaped something like a cracker box. Indeed, it would not surprise me a bit to be barreling down the highway leaving a trail of saltines in my wake.

I stopped to see Kieran and Jessica before making my way out to Asian Dave's new place here in the Foothills. It's brand new (i think he moved in about a month after it was finished) and extremely nice. Spacious, clean, and comfortable - pretty much the polar opposite of his old place. He complained about the high cost of the payments, and told me i should consider moving back out here and being his roommate. If only it were that simple.

After visiting with Dave and Rainey for a bit last night, it was off to an impromptu gathering at IHOP. Jessica, Spoon, Chad Rock, Steam Hammer, Sarah, Steve, and Kieran were all in attendance, and it was like nothing had ever changed. We were as loud, obnoxious, and offensive as always, covering topics like ass-to-mouth, traffic cones as sex objects, and the functions of Jessica's vibrator, which apparently features a remote control and an LCD screen.

And people wonder why i miss this place so much.

Dave took me to lunch at a little place in Scottsdale called Fusion, where i experienced a burger called "The Gladiator." Australian Kobe beef, peppered bacon, caramelized jalapenos - oh fuck yes. Much better than my original plan of hitting up the In-N-Out (although i'll definitely be there at least once before i go back). We stopped at Fry's on the way back to stock up on party supplies for tomorrow night - it seems that in addition to a poker game, just about everyone from our little circle of friends will be here to hang out for the evening. Should be an interesting time.

I took a short nap this afternoon and then went out to see "Knocked Up" with Steam Hammer and Chad Rock. I had seen it once before, but that didn't stop me from laughing my ass off the second time around. Seriously, if you haven't experienced this flick yet, you really need to. It manages to be incredibly offensive, hilarious, honest, and touching all at once. Good stuff.

I also saw Kate tonight. I had told her a few weeks back that my belated birthday gift to her would be a trip to Blue Wasabi, the sushi restaurant in Scottsdale that we used to frequent. Earlier in the week she had sent me her schedule, and it looked like we weren't going to get a chance to hang out, but she managed to find an opening in her schedule for this evening, so off we went.

We hadn't seen each other in eight months, and although we've kept in touch, it's been sporadic at best. I was worried that things would be awkward or weird, but it was just the opposite. We fell right into a comfort zone, talking and laughing and just generally enjoying each other's company. And the food? Delicious. Why the hell can't there be a Blue Wasabi back home?

Kate seems to be doing really well for herself - two jobs plus school, and still maintaining a firm grip on her sanity, which is probably more than i could manage under similar circumstances. It's good to see her happy, because i know she's went through some rough times since the last time i saw her.

But in typical Kate fashion, she persevered, and she's just as amazing as she always was. When i dropped her off, i gave her a hug and told her that i was glad we were friends again. She smiled and agreed, and we left it at that. I doubt i'll see her again while i'm here, and probably not for quite some time.

It's been more than a year since we split up, and there are still times when i miss her like crazy. But i also feel a lot more closure about the situation than i used to. I know there's a part of me that's always going to love her, and i'm okay with that, because it doesn't fuck me up the way it used to. We can still talk and be honest with each other and have a good time together, and that has helped make it a lot easier to let go.

Speaking of being able to talk and be honest with a former love interest - Mia and i are apparently no longer on speaking terms. According to her, we live too far away to be friends - even though we managed just fine when we were in different states - and she disapproves of the fact that i drink. She doesn't want to hear about it or be around it - even though she works in a bar with a friend who she says is constantly getting drunk and who she has referred to as an alcoholic on more than once occasion. And let's not forget that she met her new husband in that very same bar, where he also works.

So basically, it was a big crock of shit.

We've known each other for six years, and we've been through a LOT together. We've each stood by and supported the other in some of the most difficult times in our lives, and i always assumed we had one of those friendships that would last forever. Silly me. It seems she's got the perfect life that she's always dreamed of, and apparently has no more use for me, one of her self-professed "best friends."

How can you just turn your back and walk away from someone that has been such a big part of your life for so long? Someone that has always been there for you, anytime you needed something. Someone you claim to love and care about. How can you just sever the ties and act like it doesn't even fucking matter?

It's so fucking cold and cruel and disrespectful it makes me want to throw up. And it makes me wonder how people can do something like that and still look at themselves in the mirror and think that a decent fucking human being is staring back.

Whatever. That's life, right? It fucking sucks, but i'm not going to dwell on it and let it ruin my vacation. The fun has just begun.