My Artist From The Pub

I met the most interesting person last night, aside from the chief (whom I won't further identify). This other guy was younger, 24 years old, but knew my age. I was very honest about everything last night. I said, "I'm broke, I'm 33, and I have a lot of baggage. Oh, I also have a beautiful 2 year old son."

For whatever reason, honesty didn't work against me. I met this guy in a cafe where I quipped about his knocking over a garbage can. We started talking about music and he looks, as he put it, like a "hipster". The guy, I found out, in short work, is brilliant. He graduated at age 16 on accelerated levels, and I think he must be a genuis who likes being a transient as well. He's an artist and I asked him to draw me something. He drew an eye, in a couple of minutes, which I've kept in my notepad, and it's brilliant. I was like, "wow. he really IS an artist." Not only that, he has a photographic memory it seems. He also has ADHD and is OCD, which I love, because I asked him, and I guessed correctly, and he said he loved that about me, that he fell for me when I guessed OCD, and he leads with a particular foot. He's a leftie. I'm really meeting more than the normal share of lefties, which is quite interesting. I noticed he had several very well-done tatoos and guessed he was artistic. He really knows a LOT about music, it turns out, even post-punk stuff, which I think I'm into.

I love you LEFTIES! I don't know why I'm meeting so many of you, but you're all so interesting!

At any rate, he was very, very jealous of my proximity to the chief, after he (the artist) was drunk. So I was a little bit afraid. Flattered, but afraid to stay the night on the couch at his flat, so to speak.

But I was offered a job at a pub. A really wonderful, dive-y sort of pub. One where it would be fun and a pleasure to go to work. The bartenders and wait staff are allowed to, well, relax a little, and the clientele is wonderful. I really hope I haven't lost my chance at working there by upsetting this artist guy, bc he wasn't happy when I decided to go with the chief instead of him. I hope he'll still be interested in getting to know me when he's sober, bc he's truley fascinating. The chief was trying to recruit me to work for the navy in an administrative capacity and I said I really wasn't the administrative type, but more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants type. I could be interested, but I said, "What about my son? Most of the people who go into the military who have children either have family, or a close partner, or spouse, they're comfortable leaving their child with. I don't have that. I know I'm the best provider for my son." The artist overheard and smiled knowingly, at the part where i said I wasn't very administrative, because we really are kindred. I thought he was gay at first, but he's not, converse sneakers and all, beatnik look and all. He said, "I'm look gay on paper, but I'm not."

If I get this job, and they want to hire after seeing my people skills, it would be an actual opportunity to make very good money in tips. It makes more, he says, than an upperclass place he works at. I could actually afford to live in D.C., downtown D.C., in a decent area, if I get this job. I just hung out with everyone, had a few drinks, and socialized and people liked me I guess. I think I must be funnier (??) ;) when I've had a drink or two? ;) I'm certaintly hospitable and a happy person. I'm not as intimidated to be clever or witty when I feel more comfortable, and tease others, I suppose. It would be fun, so we'll see, if I haven't pissed off my artist friend who told me he really, really, really, liked me. He wanted to give me an extra key to his townhouse and everything. He was so drunk he wanted me to kiss him on the spot too, but I couldn't, because he was really drunk, and I wasn't. I told him I'd be taking advantage of him and he argued he liked me BEFORE he was drunk. ;)

I really, really, really, liked him too! Of course, he's interesting. He can pronounce both his liquors correctly, I told him, as well as the brain parts (we discussed a book about brain anatomy). He knows music and used to date a woman who worked for Columbia records to find new bands. The guy is very smart. He said he was a fly in my web.

And then I also met a very nice blond (blond!!! almost platinum!) guy who was with a co-ed soccer team from Richmond, VA. Very interesting, and I wanted to talk more (even though he looked to be about 22) but my attention was already divided. It was very funny, with artist on one side taking my left hand and chief on the other side taking my right hand. "I want you both!" I said, laughing. It was fun. So the co-ed team had won a huge trophy and was there in starched shirts. The blond was so nice. The chief was a SEAL and, some kind of chief, and in his early 40s. The artist, I've described, and then there was this blond who stood out, and that is strange because I've gone for dark hair but I am completely open to switching sides. The blond looked like a really sincere and nice Ivy sort of guy. A total gentleman, good looking, and dismissing his starched shirt as ridiculous. "We thought we'd get dressed up to celebrate," he said, as if it were a disclaimer. He looked great.

I know I need my special friend, but I don't know where it will lead. I talked to him today and he feels I'm very special to him, but he didn't say he was in love or that it was true love, so I suppose I'll just take it as it comes. I really do like people though. Wish me luck getting this job.

I've been offered several positions in D.C., in the last several days. I must be doing something right. Well, I kissed the chief, but told him if I started working there, I couldn't be involved with my customers. I can't talk about my customers either. If I work there, what happens in the pub, and is said in the pub, stays in the pub. It's my own confidentiality rule. People need to feel comfortable to talk in a pub. It's like a therapist's office. I talked to people who own major companies who are dating exes and widows of tycoons and they just want to chill, and laugh and I tease them and get the military chief to lighten up a bit, as I joke about pulling the string on the light just above his head, for ambiance. I look better in the dark, I joke, and you might too...