Friday (continued)

So I make it back to Jimi's and decide to use his computer for a spell. No sooner than my ass can warm the seat, he comes in and says he needs to talk to me because he's at the point where he wouldn't want to speak to me after I left NYC.

</cue Scooby-Doo's "I don't know">

He then proceeds to lambaste me on how "unappreciative" I seem of staying in his place. Not quite sure where this was coming from since I thanked him not only a week prior to coming but on the very day I got there. Basically, my last audio post is what riled him up because…drumroll please…

He wasn't mentioned.

</pause for crickets>

Now I will admit that I did forget to mention him; I rambled off the entry after waking up from a rum-and-coke-filled evening of 80's hits. It's natural to forget things. But to take that and twist into being unappreciative? It's a shame because I told him several times before I got to NYC and when I got there "thank you". But I guess validation to the masses via my corner of the Internet was what was really needed. Hear that?

It's the world's smallest violin playing the world's saddest song. Oh wait, it gets worse better.

I told Jimi I wanted to see a Broadway play when I got up there. He bought tickets to Rent and Bombay Dreams. I thanked him. Was it my fault that I didn't like them? No; he didn't ask what I wanted to see, but I'll get into why later. He was mad that I didn't mention that he paid for the tickets to the two shows (nearly $450 total) and for the Choga dinner (over $300). He was mad that I didn't mention his friend Jason who was also at the dinner (he sat next to me and barely spoke…can I mention that?). But he was also mad that I didn't invite him out to Brooklyn with me even though he didn't want to go. "I work here and I sleep here. I don't get many chances to go places and meet people." Sorry, Charlie…my vacation ain't your "get out and socialize" opportunity. If you don't do stuff and meet folks, that's on you…not me. And then I talked up Christopher David and SDot's townhome. That's what spawned the whole "I'm sorry I don't have a sexy house" quote. Since when is talking good about one person's place automatically downing anothers?

Next on the list of transgressions involved my IM chats with Mike, Bernie and Kia, of which he went through and dissected the logs. Now if I'm letting someone use my computer, I would afford them the same level of privacy as if they were on their own box. Communication on what I thought was a secure medium was compromised due to some deep-seated insecurities. Furthermore, he brought up things to me that were only referred to and about via e-mail, which leads me to believe there was some tampering of my inbox. Not cool. But the pièce de résistance was the following:

"I bought tickets to see these Broadway shows and dinner at a Korean restaurant because I thought these were things you couldn't do on your own. I thought these were things you were not exposed to in Atlanta."

There's so much I can say about that, but honestly, just typing out the rest of this bullshit is giving me a headache. Suffice it to say, the man has some personal issues with control, bouts of insecurity, and an overall dour disposition. Throwing around money doesn't buy my favor. New York is famous for shrinks; perchance that $6000 a week income should go towards more than sustaining a garish collection of Louis Vuitton bags. After his Napoleonic tirade, he flipped a complete 180 and was suddenly chipper and shit, asking me how I was able to do my audioblogs and the like. Hmph. Like I was going to let that bullshit ruin the rest of my trip. Oh, did I mention how the bed I slept in had a camera pointed on me with a tape in it?

So me and Jimi headed down to Broadway in the colossal crowd to see Bombay Dreams. After I got settled and had calmed down from the stewing rage, the musical began. Now I will say this about it: the sets were exquisite. The choreography and costumes…divine. But the plot reeked to high heaven. Ten minutes in and I already knew how it would end. But at least the lead guy had a nice body. Poor Tamyra though. First Boston Public and now this. I certainly hope that CD of hers is selling.

After the musical I was the first person out of the theatre. I needed to get out around some people I could relate to. But mostly I needed to vent. I wandered around downtown (i.e., corralled into streets by NYPD) before heading uptown to Donald's place to ring in the New Year. And Phillippe was there too! Bruschetta and bubbly capped off the evening and I went into 2005 feeling rejuvenated with a new sense of purpose. And mainly knowing that the next time I come to NYC, I need to get a hotel room.

Saturday: "Nice. Very afro-geek."

EJ called me first thing in the morning to talk about you-know-who. Telling him that I didn't feel I was in a secure communication medium, most of the conversation was under about two layers of blankets. I felt like I was seven years old and camping again! A quick shower later, and I was energized; determined not to spend the first day of the new year harping on what happened yesterday, I agreed to meet up with Donald and Steven for brunch at the Metro Diner on 100th and Broadway. Donald was a no-show, and I ended up outside the diner for 30 minutes since I didn't see Steven inside. He walked out with two of his friends and we immediately gave each other the "haven't I seen you somewhere before?" face and just laughed. I met his two friends Artis and a British DJ (either I don't remember his name or he didn't give it). We ended up walking and talking about everything from music to current events to relationships and before I knew it, we were near 62nd Street at this huge Barnes and Noble and Tower Records. While there, we ran into another of Steven's friends James and I bumped into Jimi briefly. I also saw Melvin Van Peebles. Sorry, no autographs. I got to see the new Pedro Almodóvar movie "La Mala Educación" (Bad Education) and then I came back home and stayed in my guest room for the rest of the night. I know…in on a Saturday night. I guess some things never change.

Sunday: "You look just like my Junebug."

Sunday morning found me at brunch with Will at Candela, this nice restaurant in Union Square. After steak and eggs, we ended up in Strand, this gynormous bookstore where I could have easily spent up the remainder of my paycheck. I bought Me Talk Pretty One Day and Home to Harlem; I've already mowed through them both. Take that, 101 in 1001! We headed to Times Square to buy some souvenirs for my friends back home and we had decided to see the movie "Closer". Well, no sooner had we bought the tickets when we ran across the 1/2 price tkts booth in the middle of Times Square. And that's how I got to see Gem of the Ocean. Both Will and Bernie discuss the play much better than I could, but suffice to say, it was damn good. Now I've seen all of August Wilson's plays save the last one in the series, Radio Golf premiering at Yale in April of 2005.

After the performance, I went back to Jimi's to drop off the books and headed back down to Brooklyn to meet with Colin and Geoff for a few drinks, and then Colin and I headed to this fabulous Caribbean restaurant on Flatbush Ave. called Sugarcane. Talk about a nice place! Loved the red theme they had going on with the red leather bar and smooth wooden floors, and they mixed up a pineapple mojito that damn near knocked me on my ass! Stiff drinks, good food, good company…now this is what vacationing is all about. It was very refreshing (almost cathartic) to finally get a chance to talk with Colin about school and work and Apollo.

Yeah, that Apollo. *ahem*

After dinner, I met up with this guy Low Talker whom I had been chatting it up with for about a month. I'll spare you the details, but the sex was lousy. And he wasn't all that grand either outside of e-mail or the phone. A C train later and I was back at Jimi's where I stayed up listening to music until….

Monday: "The best part about leaving New York is coming back."

…the SuperShuttle came 15 minutes ahead of schedule. I was packed and ready to go; I gave Jimi the first runner-up hug (you know what I mean), dropped off his keys and three hours later, I was back in the ATL. It's weird though; after coming back, everything seemed so…slow. Of course, the public transportation moves at a snail's pace, but even the people seemed to be a bit sluggish. I hit up a couple of stores, thus completing numbers 44, 77 and 100. I went to bed relaxed and fortunate for being able to go through my NYE/NYC experience with grace and civility.

And to all…a good night.