Tuesday, February 07, 2006

A Chance Encounter II...

I blame it on those anger management sessions my parents shackled me to.

I'm convinced that I've developed a delayed response ever since. Whatever it was, I paused .. and that's all it took.
Of all the days..

"aw.. Fuck.." an inadvertent slip. I don't like being rude.

He expected a more welcoming greeting. To his credit, he did recover quickly.
"haha.. it's nice to meet you too." He said quite amicably.

That did make me laugh. A quick look out the window and I could see the rain now pouring steadily. I was trapped. I could've sworn he knew it too. Sizing him up, I decided he wasn't exactly dim of wit, in less than a minute he proved to be at least as quick as I am. Nor was he as inebriated as I had initially judged.

"I don't mean to be forward, I just wanted to come over and say hello, I haven't seen any arab girls around here.. never mind khalijiyat!"

"well.. you've said hello.." I looked pointedly at his drink, back at his original seat.

"Are you feeling ok? you look sorta pale.. someone like you shouldn't be.. sad. What is it?"

What is it about bars that gives people the chutzpah to think they can invade others personal lives? or worse, spill theirs?

"It's that godamn ozone layer.. the hole is making my life a living hell"

He has the decency to smile, nod, and leave it alone.
I liked his ease. Like me, he wasn't bothered with a string of proprieties. During the long wait, he proved to be ..engaging.. and brilliant. Perhaps sober, he might've interested me... mentally.

The waitress finally comes back with my order, he signals to her;

"A drink for the young lady." He turns to me, "why don't you stay?" he asks.

He was close enough that I could see the plethora of red vessels in his eyes. They stared back, glazed and almost pleading. It was only then that I realized the magnitude of his despair. Grim-visaged, comfortless despair.
His misery merely wanted conversing company.. and in the words of Shakespeare.. Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows.

"No. I have ... to go."

I found my car and went home.

Some refuse company... in foolish valiance they'd rather go down alone.

How grand.

| 17 CoMmEnTs| -- Posted by [[ On My Own ]]--|Permanent Link|

17 Comments:

Wonderful writing and great discription of everything.
You worry me sweety.


H.A

By  Anonymous, at 07 February, 2006 22:27  

My short term memory has improved significantly.. I'm proud to say I haven't lost my car once since.

It's parked somewhere.. I usually find it before it's too late.

No worries.

By  Trevelyana, at 08 February, 2006 12:47  

i agree with anonymous as well.. so where was this anyways?

By  Dr.Lost, at 08 February, 2006 16:16  

Good stuff. Well written. Get out of the pre-med quicksand while you still can. Find a creative outlet that also pays the bills.

One more thing, don't be so morose. You're too young. You have the potential to develop a bold and distinctive writing style. Forcibly turn yourself into a playful optimist, and experiment. Be aware of your potential, but don't trap yourself into arrogance and "know-it-all"-ism.

Try reading Isaac Babel. At least he had something compelling to be morose about.

Sorry about the lecture. I would like to read more of your stuff, but without the feined bohemian jadedness.

By  Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظمي, at 08 February, 2006 18:10  

Aww i thought it would have a happy ending ;/

how many times have you lost your car? I bet pressing on that unlock button on the car keys helps. helped me couple of times!

By  N.A., at 08 February, 2006 20:45  

great writing! not overdone.

why did u leave??

By  MiYaFuSHi, at 08 February, 2006 23:48  

You hover over linguistic chauvinism

By  Anonymous, at 08 February, 2006 23:53  

dr.lost:
Thanks.
It was in a generic downtown venue.
Welcome to my blog.


Raffy:
Thank you dear.

I actually think I am too. Which is.. nice.

When's this "daisy" thing going to end? can I interest you in a new flower?


Nibras Kazimi نبراس الكاظمي:
ah.. Lets see.
Welcome to my blog, and thank you.

I'll admit, my tendencies are towards the .. err.. morose. If this guy or situation would've been a happy-go-lucky one, it wouldn't have been of interest to me.

On “feigned bohemian jadedness”-- what a wonderful term.. It just so happens my inclinations are towards the glum... nothing feigned nor conventiently conjured up there. On "something compelling"-- we don't know eachother.

Thanks for the recomendation and the pointers, I'll read for Isaac Babel as soon as I can.. & I'll stick to Medicine. If it'll take me.


NA:
If it was a happy ending I wouldn't have written about it.

My car's old-school.. no ringing and sounding stuff. Getting a new one soon.


Miyafushi:
Thank you.
umm.. it’s hard to explain. I left because I was uncomfortable with what I saw in him and how much I could relate to it.


Anon:
Then, of all the chauvinisms I picked a good one.

I don't know what to tell you. That's not me.

By  Trevelyana, at 09 February, 2006 09:21  

Tislamy 7abeebty.. lol, you're such an ego inflator dear it's hilarious.

I wish I could meet him again.. looking back on it, he really was very interesting... in the span of less than an hour he managed to discuss the most random topics and put the most clever spin on them.

Unfortunately it was a reeally long day for me.. I was tired and grumpy and I just left when my food came. I regret it now.

So I guess I can't finish it in that sense.. and I can't just make up a happy ending you know? Endings like this suit me anyway.

This piece doesn't do this guy half justice..

Thanks again. I'm very flattered.

By  Trevelyana, at 09 February, 2006 12:58  

you amaze me everytime!!!! i just loveeeeee reading your posts!!!

By  Anonymous, at 09 February, 2006 15:17  

I want to read The Tempest!

Yeah, the jadedness does come out in your writing, not in a bad way though!

By  Sedna, at 10 February, 2006 15:58  

Maskeen wallah...your loss :p

Great work..

By  Sami, at 10 February, 2006 17:36  

Daydreamer:
Thank you hun :)


Abdulla:
Welcome, and thank you very much.
Wallah ma kan ga9di afashlah wala shay.. bil 3aks 3a6aita wajh after he stopped leering and started talking.

As for sympathizing.. I don't want to divulge what we discussed and what he told me about his life.. but no I don't think I would've.
I don't believe in surrender.. I'm the idiot that would charge into a comfortable stalemate and get shot in the back.


JS:
I don't hate men. I just like one man. The rest fail to measure up.. which disappoints me.

I'm convinced my car has it in for me.

Ya.. Medicine is my thing, I love it. LOVE ME BACK MEDICINE.. heh. I need sleep.


S:
You think so? I'm a little different.. I hope.

ya.. I don't know about playful optimism .. I don't even know how I'd go about that.


Sedna:
You should. One day I plan on finishing all of Shakespeare's work.

I'll work on it.


Sami:
Maybe it is.
Thank you.

By  Trevelyana, at 10 February, 2006 22:49  

"I don't hate men. I just like one man." :) and finally, Leeno lets go of her immense pride for 2 seconds and actually says that. I just can't figure out whether that's good or bad...

By  Sedna, at 11 February, 2006 10:42  

Niiiiice!

By  Anonymous, at 11 February, 2006 20:52  

Did you go back convincing yourself you wanted to eat there again?

By  Anonymous, at 11 February, 2006 21:16  

Sedna:
A moment of lapse. Maybe no one noticed.

I think it was Alexander Pope that said something to the effect of "... is pride not the never-failing vice of fools"

Tell me if you figure it out.


S:
Remind me to be mad at you for this.


Mochness:
:)


"H":
Heh.. a woman's gotta eat.

By  Trevelyana, at 12 February, 2006 00:18  

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