The Big 2-3
Quite a week it has been. The week of the big 2-3. My 23rd birthday. Getting older and wiser, slowly and surely. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be a good day. Took the day off, worked out, shopped at Georgetown (bought a scarf and a pair of mittens) and spent the afternoon reading Three Junes.
Rents called from Saudi Arabia in the wee hours of the morning (around 3 am) giving me their best, sounding extremely excited after the Umrah. Don’t remember what they exactly said since I was still half-asleep. My sisters also called and it was somewhat comforting to talk to them. I think I’m pretty lucky to have a family that cares for me this much. Too bad they didn’t show it when I was in Pakistan, but better later than never. I know they miss me a lot, especially on days like birthdays and anniversaries, wishing I was with them. And a part of me also wishes that I was with them. But we all know that its better this way. They know I’m a different person now, “too American” according to them, and would never be happy living back home. Plus I’ve made my intentions of staying here pretty clear. Honestly I’m not being selfish. I do care a lot about my family. I just wish I could show it more. And I really want to visit. After all, I have been waiting so long to see old acquaintances, show off my abundant self-confidence and off course, cruise some desi hotness.
Went out later in the evening with JMarburg, a middle-aged JAP (short for Jewish American Princess), who is becoming somewhat of a good friend. We started by going to this gay “friends of friends” happy-hour. The crowd was too old for my taste and not very cute. I did look smashing though, turning it up a notch since it was my birthday. Disappointed by the lack of beauty, we decided to leave after one beer and were soon joined by Marco, another close friend of mine, for dinner at Busboys and Poets (a new trendy restaurant bookstore/café on 14th Street). It was the first time JMarburg and Marco had met, so I wasn’t sure if they’d hit it off. But they seemed to get along fine and, with utmost generosity, ended up splitting the check between them.
Later Roman, aka the French slut, decided to join us for drinks at JRs, not my place of choice but unfortunately the only happening place on a cold Tuesday night. Roman and I have a “history” but we’ve made out peace after everything (actually Roman also has a history with El but I won’t bring that up right now). So, we’re at JR’s having drinks, when Kai called, wishing me happy birthday. I told him where I was and asked him to join us. He hurried along and I introduced him to my friends who I think seemed to feel a bit awkward around him. I think its super hard and uncomfortable to introduce a potential someone to a group of friends who have had a romantic interest in you at some point. Thinking that we needed more privacy, my entourage trickled off one by one. They didn’t really have to leave because Kai and I left JRs soon thereafter and kissed each other goodbye outside of McDonalds, amidst receiving awkward glances from random strangers.
However, I did get an email from Marco the next day with the following disclaimer:
“p.s. watch out for those southern boys. i dated one for 3 years they're fun, sweet and cute and everything, but deep down, they're dangerous”.
posted by Khuram @ December 09, 2005
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