2 Weekends
2004-10-07 9:57 a.m.
Crazy couple of weeks...BEfore I begin, Happy belated to you. And if you happen to need an extra shoulder, don't hesitate. I happen to agree with and practice what you preach...
Ok, important stuff out the way. So I went to Chicago weekend before last for my cousin's wedding reception. The one who got hitched in Las Vegas a couple months back. I got in on Friday morning, grabbed a car and headed to G's place to crash. All good for day one.
It turned out that 2 other heads from out here, L and A (both from Chicago, and both my my high school as a matter of fact), were BOTH coming out to Chicago seperately, completely by coincidence. I called em both up and A was down to chill, so we met up with 3 chicks we haven't seen since graduation, as well as J (who's finally cleaning up his act - for the most part) at my cousin and G's job.
There, we proceeded to get tanked for free, caught up on old shit, and I realized why I haven't talked to these girls in so long. Besides the fact that I was stoned and drunk every day of high school, I didn't have all that much in common with them. Actually, it's not quite that... I didn't really know them. I mean I chilled with them every day, but I had no idea who they really were. Not that they were bad or boring, just the opposite.
Funny revelation to make while you're drunk. Ironically, it's a revelation of hte sober, which I am now, more than I ever was, just not that night. Clarity is definitely the right word, and probably the only useful idea related to sobriety.
So we partied til about 7am, and I had to pick up my girl at the airport at 930am. We crashed for about an hour, I dropped A at the train and headed to O'hare, grabbed y girl, headed back to G's and passed out for about 3 hours. Played Tiger '04 for a couple hours and proceeded to go to my cousin's reception about 4 hours late.
People were talking shit at first, until I started reminding them that i was actually AT the wedding. We got our hellos in, and within 5 minutes we got our invitation for hte first shot of the night. My girl and G got the first glimpse of where my drinking habits come from. We got the invitation and walked into the dining room of my aunt's enormous and gorgeous suburban house. Our shot glasses were filled and we turned around ready to shoot...
20 of my cousins had piled in the room, all holding shot glasses and cups ready for a reason. Mind you most of them were already pretty well in the bag by then. It was obvious we were never going ot catch up. They asked me for a toast - i looked around, didn't see my cousin, and waved off the opportunity. If I can't 'salud' to him at his reception, I'm not gonna do it.
This same thing happened for every shot we had. A room full of drunk cousins, every time. By now, my father was obliterated. He had a steady swerve and his stupid grin, whice means he's about to start insulting people.
Not many people have seen this side of him, including me. I've been too young to 'see' it. My mom knows it really well, and it's probably why they split up almost 25 years ago.
He proceeded to drunkenly insult just about everyone there, who are all his nieces and nephews, and he went at me and G the most.
"This is my son, he's an asshole. He never calls. He's an asshole. And htis is his frined G. When are you gonna cut your hair G? You look like a Puerto Rican. He's my son's friend, and I trust him. But you shouldn't! Cuz he's an asshole! Yeah, my sone flew me and his mom out to New York, and we were treated like kings for the weekend, but he still never calls. Son, you're an asshole!" (in the background, mom's bragging about the trip to NY).
Of course everyone's laughing at him, some uncomfortably. I'm making jokes at his expense that he's too drunk to catch, but he knows.
Later that night, he sent G to get his car which was 'about a half mile that way. It's red'. Half hour later, he comes back with nada. It turns out the car was right in front of the house.
About 12 of my cousins got into a limo and headed to a bar on the north side. We got into my car, and thankfully my mom was sober, so she drove my father.
At the bar we had a few games of pool, where my dad comtinued to talk mad shit to everyone. It was a good time, and we had quite a few jokes at his expense, but eventually he started getting a little out of hand.
Some local was sitting at the middle of the bar getting ready for some pool. My mom and my girl were stting at the corner of the bar talking. I just finished the last game and talked to the guy about racking up the table since he weas next. I look away and turn back and here's dad stumbling his way around the bar.
He get's right in dude's face, pointing a finger at him and hten at my girl and my mom). "Hey asshole, don't even think about talking to these girls, you hear me? Don't get any ideas. I'm wathing you." Ah yes. Very noble indeed, except for the fact that the guy's been sitting here talking with all of us for the past half hour.
Basically my thoughts are that I'm about to have to beat the hell out of this very nice guy if he says anything back. I didn't want to. But if someone swings at your drunk father, nice or not, well he's gotta get a pool cue to the face. The guy looked at me as my father stubled off. I shook my head, laughed a bit and gave him the don't-worry-about-him look. Uneasily the guy came and racked up the table.
I cleaned up the table in 2 rounds, shook his hand and bought him a beer. All was well.
I walked my mom to the other side of the bar and she understood. It was time to take dear ol dad home. He'd had plenty.
We headed back to G's too. It turned out the family had been feeding my girl tequila shots all night. She's never had tequila before. So we ended up having to pull over a couple times on the way to the South Side. I didn't mind so much, except that I wasn't gonna pass the breathalizer.
The rest of the weekend was chill. Took my girl back to the airport Monday morning so she could get to work, chilled for one more day, and broke out Tuesday morning.
Chilled with my girl for most of Tuesday and ended up with a NASTY stomach flu for the rest of the week. I have no idea where it came from, but it was bad enough to wish sudden death upon myself, at least for a moment. Vomitting out of both ends for 3 days is an ugly thing.
I was well just in time for my flight to San Francisco on Saturday morning. I packed a bottle of Blue Label ($25 bottle of scotch-whiskey)for M for being my biggest client this year.
Biz class on the way out for a 6am flight. The guy who drove me was from Bolivia. Really cool cat working his way to his first million. I flipped him a card and told him to call me when he makes his first Hundred-Thou so we can celebrate.
Biz Class is the greatest thing on the planet. It's when you learn that they really do treat you like aboslute shit in 'economy' class. Before takeoff, you get champagne, OJ and water, whenever you want. Just keep asking, they'll keep coming. You get about 2 extra feet of legroom. You get a menu to choose what you want to eat, which includes a full bar of free drinks that they don't mind keeping full. And the food is acutally good. Oh, and the peanuts come in a lil cup. They're warmed. Mixed nuts are actually really good when they're warmed. The service keeps on coming as well. I am now addicted to racking up frequent flyer miles.
I got into SFO at around Noon, grabbed the only car Budget had left, which was a lil convertable Spider. It was great to drive, but I'm 6'6". It felt like a clown car.
I figured I'd crash at M's for a few hours before what I thought was going to be a quaint gathering for his company. I was mistaken . An hour after I got there, we went to set up. About 10 bottles of liquor, 2 kegs, their ENORMOUS office as well as the office next door, DJ booth, disco ball, spotloghts and xmas lights, a whole garbage can of water adn another of soda and juice, and 2 garbage cans full of ice.
We finished setting up just in time to get back for about 90 minutes of getting ready and then to take a cab back to the party.
I didn't really know anyone there. I mean I've known M for a bout a year now, but I think we've maybe had 2 real conversations outside of working together - mostly over IM. I've only met the guy maybe 3 times in person, counting htis time.
I figured being a wall flower was out of the question. Not my style anyways, but I couldn't even team up with someone and talk shit about heads all day. No, I had a different plan. I set out to meet just about everyone at the party. The first few introductions were pretty awkward. They went well, but it's just that moment.
You know, the moment when you look at someone, catch their eye and judge whether you should walk up. Are they interetsed in what I have to say? Am I interested in them? Do I have something on my upper lip? Do I look alright? What the hell am I going to open with? Who the hell is this person?
And the best part is that they have the same or similar apprehensions rolling around at the same time.
The first time, I let the questions fly, and it's a bad idea. I stepped up and said hello to a couple, and they turned out to be very cool and provided a great conversation for a few minutes, which eased my head a bit. One worked at Yahoo and his girl, a scientist's assistant. Very cool, and good for conversation.
The next 60 or 70 times, I didn't allow the internal questions precede the introduction. As soon as the glance met I steped up, hand out to brush their arm or shake their hand depending on how I was recieved. By the end of the night, I had a stack of about 40 or 50 biz cards in my pocket, I'd had _good_ conversations with at least 15 or 20 people, and I'd only gotten the gas face once. Well not quite. I saw a girl standing alone against the wall, and she had a brace on her finger. I asked her what happened to her finger and she sighed and walked off.
Only strike of the night. I mean it's not like I was hitting on anyone. All conversation. Regardless, one strike in an entire night, with a lot of hits and I figure it had to be a good night. I suppose it helped that most of the people there were in the design or artist world.
A half a gallon of Red Label later, I helped the big guys walk eveyrone out. No problems and all the fights were prevented. Only a couple people who couldn't handle their liquor, and I got to meet a chick from TV, who turned out to be very cool.
The next day and a half was clean-up and chill out. Lots of PS2 (Burnout3 is sick, maybe not a great buy, but tons of fun for a weekend), and finally got to play some Tiger '05. Bought it as soon as I got home as well.
On Monday, the flight before mine was cancelled. My flight was PACKED, and I couldn't get my biz class upgrade. I got onto the plane and ended up in the middle seat in the middle of the plane beteween a couple.. um.. larger.. people. Not enormous, but big enough that I wasn't tring to sit there for 6 hours. My seat didn't recline, my knees were dead in the back of the person in front of me. Fuck this.
They asked for 5 volunteers to leave for the next flight, who would get vouchers for a futre flight. I stood right up, shook the guy's hand who i was talking to, and broke out.
They put me on United, which was ok, but I knew there would be no biz class involved as I've barely got any points wit hem. I went to try to get my ticket and saw the other 4 desperately trying to do the same. I cleared my head, went and grabbed a medium tea, had a smoke and went back to the American desk.
I told the guy the situation. I ended up with a 10PM flight (it was now 2PM), and he gladly upgraded me to First Class (no biz on that flight) with my points.
So besides a full 10 hours at SFO, I was looking forward to a comfortable flight. My knees were happy. During the wait, I saw a couple SF Giants players, the Wayans brothers, who looked a little too annoyed to be bothered (not that I bother people I don't know anyways), and met a couple cool cats from out here who were in the same situation.
That's about it. Thre flight was great, I got completely tanked, and like I said they like ot keep the drinks coming. We watched the Terminal, which I thought was a pretty decent movie. At least it ws good while wasted at 40,000 feet amoungst a bunch of sleeping passengers.
And now I'm finally back. It's gonna take me like 3 weeks to catch up the past week, but well worth it. I think I should take my girl out this weekend too.
I'm not gonna proofread this, if any of it doesn't make sense, well, it's a stream of thought as they usually are so deal with it.