Mike the Musician

I look at pictures of myself at various stages in life, and I don't even know that person anymore. Bright eyed and optimistic, eager to launch himself into some high paying career with a big office, sports car, and trophy girlfriend. I was supposed to be head of General Motors by now... looking back, I feel so silly staying home on sunny days when I could have been out with friends, or guilting my parents in to taking me to the mall. I was so proud of the hours I’d logged on my Playstation... now, I can't even remember which games were fun. I was socially inept for years. I don't think I asked a girl out until I was 19. In my whole life I could count the parties I’ve been to on one hand... the fun ones anyway.

For anyone who knows me, I moved recently. The house is coming along nicely and I think I’m about ready for the first party. Try to keep in mind; the parties are important to me. For me they say, "Hey look! I’m still young enough to enjoy a party; and old enough that it’s not at my mom's house anymore." last week the bar was delivered and the basement was repainted. I guess "mike" may be my new subterranean roommate. Mike will be the fourth person in the house. He seems like a good enough guy, but he's awfully quiet. This is a shame, because when he does speak, it’s usually very insightful or funny.

The way we met was... my roommate had put a "roommate wanted" ad on Craigslist. Mike was one of the first to respond, and we arranged a time for him to come over and "peep the crib". By pure happen stance, all the roommates were able to be at the same place at the same (relative) time. I show up late, of course. I will give no explanation for my tardiness; I will only say that I was fun to be around once I arrived. We all were, in fact. We drank and told stories and ate pizza and went out for coffee and listened to poetry and read pornography and told jokes. I had an unusually good time, and mike was a pleasure to be around.

I feel like the used car salesman. The guy comes in, you can see him staring at the Toyota, but instead, he stays near the Mazda. You ask if he needs any help and he gives you a non committal shrug. He saunters past the Toyota and asks a couple non-committal questions as far as the price. You know he wants the Toyota but he doesn't want to seem too interested, otherwise he may come off as a sucker. So the guy leaves his card with the salesman and says he'll "be back". This customer? That’s the way mike acts when I show him the basement. Apparently he's gonna call this weekend after he looks at a few other places. What other places? I’ve been to lots of other places and they all sucked.

I almost feel bad for the guy, having to put up with the three of us. And yet I hate being told that he'll "get back to me"