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Forget New Jersey Part III

(Forget New Jersey)
(Forget New Jersey Part II)

If i had to describe the past seven days in one word, it would be Surreal. Jaja was in town and for me nothing else mattered. Not basketball not snowboarding and yes even the all important poker. I delegated all of my domestic canine responsibilities and ignored the check-engine light on my dash... When she told me she was coming to town for a week the very next thing i did as if by instinct was to ask for time off. But because my Department is so short staffed they couldn't accommodate my needs, the girl 'literally & figuratively' of my dreams was coming to town and i couldn't have any time off and for the first time i felt like maiming my boss. Naturally i had to do something, i couldn't sit around knowing Jaja's in town.

So carefully and methodically i devised a plan. See my one of my Bosses, particularly the one who diligently creates the weekly work schedule is a woman (i'll have to give credit to the movie Riding in cars with Boys with Drew Barrymore for this one. In the movie Beverly Donofrio played by Barrymore advises her young son of women's susceptibility to men who come forward and is not afraid to ask for help) . I literally used the same line from movie which was "**insert Boss name here**, I NEED YOU!!!", this got her attention, at the end of the conversation, thanks to my mildly mawkish acting i had a deal.

On Wednesday night she and i along with some of her friends met up at the Comedy Club in Hollywood. Originally the plan was the Laugh Factory a few blocks down which was changed last minute by her friend Gina which made me a full hour early, thanks Gina. Like a sublime message which completely contradicts my intent of not having any intentions, i intentionally dressed as a cute white guy (Jaja is currently dating another white guy called Rick). The Comedy Store was a perfect place to hang out because the shows never start on time which gives us time to talk a bit. Although we've sort of become comfortably & flirtishly chatty (especially by Thursday evening... more on this later...) i didn't completely forget the idea that i had no inherent intent or expectations (i know i know i keep saying that). After the Comedy Store we headed out to Miyagis, Geisha club, Forbidden City and to cap off the evening after collectively paying over $60 in parking, breakfast at Mels Diner on Hollywood and Highland.

On her last day here in LA her friends ingeniously made no plans so Ja and i could have time alone together (well not at night anyway). All throughout her stay here her friends flirted and implied the idea of Jaja and i getting together. It was an endearing thought but it just seemed far fetched and i didn't want to get used to the sentiment so i just sort of smiled it off, Jaja did the same. Suggesting that Ja and i should get together seemed too conventionally Filipino anyway. Even when i was still living in the Philippines i always felt that the Fililipino courtship method (other than the 'harana' haha) was stupid. Friends always tried to set you up with someone and even at the tender ages of 12-16 i already knew the Filipino setup method of courtship lacked sophistication and gaiety. When i reached College (at which point i still didn't have my first girlfriend) the method was still pervasively practiced which i absolutely detested.. arggh! I suppose even though at 17 and not having experienced the dating lifestyle yet i somehow refused the conventional method. When i finally got a girlfriend it was a chance meeting with a nice girl. I met her talked and then asked her out to the movies+dinner. My dad was so cool he even let me drive the car to take her out. Since then relationships or otherwise the women in my life were conceived in the same manner, the un-Filipino, the more naturally progressive , healthy and unyielding to Mother's "get a nurse from the Philippines, you're getting old" wishes way of courtship. Seriously i would rather masturbate...

So anyway her very cool and chic friends left us early after a day of shopping on Melrose in Hollywood. Jokingly, they asked Ja if she was going to be okay alone with me, Ja in her most confident voice responded yea i can handle Marc followed by what i thought was a very flirtish giggle (that giggle turned me on... things i would do to her... hahahhah, ok calm down). So once again we found ourselves alone together, it started to feel as if her friends planned it all along, they always seem to find a way out. Well i appreciated their vote of confidence and it was actually nice to be alone with Ja, i owe them that. It had kind of a Serendipity, John Cusack Kate Beckinsale feel to it except my version did not involve a chance meeting but more of a destined meeting that became a mission to dissuade the girl away from the white guy. A far more difficult and painstaking task than John Cusack ever had in the movie lol...

Because it was her last night in LA i thought it would be nice to take her out to dinner along with my favorite people, Adrian & the GF Trixy and my sister (i invited a few other important friends but they couldn't make it (probably being cheap, i was buying helooo), i'll get them back and not go to their invites haha) . Adrian came up with this brilliant idea, the Shabu Shabu restaurant in Sherman Oaks. The place was perfect for eating and chatting, good choice man!... Trixy, Adrian's enigmatic and prophetic girlfriend who took some kind of Human Behavioral class said that Ja and i were doing the elbow thing. She went on to explain and illustrate this human behavioral trait, i guess its when two people are attracted to each other whether they know it or not, yes the elbow thing. Well whatever it was i didn't believe her... and once again just smiled it off. Not to be outdone, Adrian had his own weird questions such as Hey Ja do you have Bowling alleys in New Jersey? how about Cable?... yea he is a weird one hahahah.

Well however weird the questions were along with Trixy's perplex behavioral observations it was a fun night and it didn't matter what we talked about, these are the kind of nights i cherish. We had drinks at the Amazon bar afterwards and eventhough it was her last night in town i didn't feel any type of pressure or anxiety (check, goal # 1 attained... i didn't want to get used to the idea of Jaja around). Then Trixy and my sister made another proverbial Human Behavioral observation, that Ja seemed to be intent just talking to me. She was facing away from everyone (were all seated at the bar) giving me her undivided attention. Again i shunned it and just smiled it off... Suddenly Adrian, Trixy and my sister got off their seats to leave the bar as if i've telepathically communicated the need to be alone with Jaja, hahahaha these guys are unrelenting!

I drove her back to Buena Park early enough so that she could get some rest before her flight Friday morning (what can i say i'm a considerate guy). I stayed for a little while to chat with Charlie and Sheila (Sheila is Jaja's High School friend) .

I took some time off from work Friday morning and met with them at the Airport to bid my farewell to Jaja (i think i was an hour early haha). Jaja seemed a bit bummed about going back, i'm glad because that meant she had a good time here in LA. When it was finally time to board her flight i started to feel a little queasy, i didn't want her to leave yet (... and again i never even dated her). I started to think about all the tiny moments we shared together, all the times everyone teased us about how we looked good together and all the times Jaja hit me in the arm or on the leg because i said something funny or when she laughed when i ranted about my ill-fated dissension about dating white guys.... and i realized that i was going to miss the girl...

I know this is all too mushy mushy but hell everyone becomes mushy mushy sometimes, right? No?... well fuck off

Posted by: Marc Gabay
Sunday, December 18, 2005