2002-01-31 - 12:41 a.m.

I completely ignored C. (from work)'s directions when I left her place. My sense of direction was dead on. I was taking a shortcut. The greenish-pink night clouds were bands, a full-moon-blue sky behind. Distant park swings cast rusty echoes, despite the hour, and to my right was the trickling of drunken pee.

Anyone could have easily gotten lost.

No chance. I climbed those romantic stairs, which I had passed so many times, on the bus or walking by, each time wondering if I would ever climb them.

At the top, a dingy overpass street, overlooking a dirty truck lot. No. Overhead, the cityscape, and it was beautiful.

Crossing, emerging from parked cars, my patience and I became the patron saints of drunken drivers.

The bars were still open, and I passed by crazy drunk rock O'Brien's and the ridiculous Kinvara, in front of which a bare shouldered chick conversed on a cell phone, finger in her ear, despite the weather.

And then home.

Gonna fucking miss living here.

The day was fine. Walked to Coolidge Corner to make a rent deposit in the Roommate's account. From there, all the way into the city to Work. Long, long walk. Did it in an hour and a half, and ended up arriving early.

Dressed up for my date with the Art Gurl. I wore my stupid cowboy denim shirt with the fancy buttons, my cords, and I made sure my hair was as not stupid looking as possible. I even tucked in my shirt (a singularity). I came prepared, armed with two books and her mix-CD.

When the day was over, C. and I went to Foley's to meet her. She was supposed to be there with friends an hour before. Love that bar.

She wasn't there. I instantly thought that I had somehow done something wrong, even though that wasn't a possibility. Talked with C. Excellent juke music.

And in strolls the Art Gurl. Apparently, there was a change in her plans, and they were important plans too, but she made the effort to come meet me and honor her appointment. And she lingered for awhile too.

That was really friggin' cool of her. We didn't really hit it off so much, I kept waiting for something to happen, for us to meander into a good zone, but it probably didn't happen because she was preoccupied. I didn't realize that then.

Then again, the Art Gurl mentioned a philosopher writing guy, and I blurted out that I didn't enjoy philosophic conversations. Oops.

Typical Art Gurl moment--waxing over the difference between being smart and being intelligent (she being a self-described latter).

She had to go, and I wanted to walk her there for the sake of walking. I think that she thought that I wanted to come with her, but I really did just want to go for a walk and see the exterior of the bar to which she was going.

When we approached South Station, she kind of abruptly announced that she knew where she was going.

Should have gotten it earlier, but I got the hint, and took the Red Line with C. I was gonna go to Park and change for the B Line, but I stayed on the train in order to take the 66 with C., who had to pee.

On the bus, I got into another let's go for a walk to some place that you already know how to get to kick, but unlike the Art Gurl, C. didn't mind the company.

To her place, and up the stairs. Characters and objects that had been story figures were right in front of me. It was like seeing a movie based on a book you've read.

They matched up pretty well.

C.'s room was sky blue, including the floor. She went to pee, and I respectfully resisted the urge to rifle through her stuff. The color of her room gave me vertigo. I felt like I should in theory be falling, but that I was instead supported by hard blue air.