Who should I run into online but my oldest friend, Adi. I've known this guy since I was in 7th grade. Over the years we've drifted apart, like most people from high school, but every year we somehow run across one another and have a night on the town. Exactly one night.

The kind of night is typical of your American male suburbanite non-honky intellectual white folk. He picks me up in a car that functions as an office space and landfill. Listening to Smashing Pumpkins or Third Eye Blind, we sing the same songs we'd sung years ago, realizing we already have good old days as we adopt traditions. We end up at Starbucks or this putrid west coast (I pray only west coast) monstrosity called Jerry's Deli. Six dollars for a bowl of soup that's straight from a sick alternate dimension where top ramen has a Tennis ball leather seasoning packet. I order a soft drink in silent protest and we chat about useless crap.

30-45 minutes later, it's up to one of two majestic hill/cliff tops. The San Fernando Valley looks great from outside. The green and orange bulbs of light in the distance pulsate, make you wonder what they're shining down on. Seeing the lights everywhere and the imitation darkness clothing us, we start to talk about our lives.

So far as last year goes he's still majoring in international finance and banking. The lucky guy even found, from the descriptions, a really dynamic and beautiful woman. And every year he gives me a pat on the back and says, "Soon, dude!" with the same exuberance. And it's funny, how you're always just getting over someone or haven't found anyone in so long. It's an interesting circle: back in the day I told him he'd find someone special when he hadn't...and now I hear the same words spoken to me. At that time I smiled, saying "wellll..." in that non-commital way. And every year being a consummate bachelor hurts less and less.

Tomorrow night we watch futbol, sweaty jockey short boys sliding past one another in slick motions. Maybe Elanna will be there, or who knows what other people from the old intelligentsia group. It's funny, part of the reason I pushed myself so hard...in the beginning...was so that I didn't feel so inferior to them. They never thought of me that way, to the contrary, but...well...like everyone, I didn't really believe them.

One of the vertebra in my upper back slid out of place 10 minutes ago. It's agonizing. I should lay down, yes...

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