2002-04-19 - 2:52 a.m.

Shhh!

It's almost 3:00, and I just got home from hanging out with Molly and C. (from work) and Rico, and some other folks.

Shhh!

The Girlfriend's sister is sleeping in the next room.

Unrelated, of course, but I sometimes hate that other people read this non-linear, un-plot driven, complete waste of time piece of phallic filth.

Can't always say what I wanna.

But I did have a good day. Bought a new book, which I shall begin tomorrow.

Hung out after work. Kinda bonded with Rico, which is cool, cause I do tend to give him a hard time somewhat. But not really.

Tomorrow is My S.' birthday. Really looking forward to that. I think. Love My S., but haven't really hung out with her of late. Sad.

She's going to be surrounded by more immediate friends, and I'm going to do my best to stay out of the way.

And here's the worst part�I haven't yet gotten her a present.

I just can't figure out what to get her.

When I was a freshman in college, when everyone was just starting to get to know each other, and by that I mean the immediate neighbors to their own dorm rooms, I had a friend named Kristin.

She was very much like My S. in a couple of ways. Both were from Long Island, both were very intelligent and surprising, they kinda look alike, they were both Jewish, and they were both into the "cute" way of life (Hello Kitty and what not).

College, and everyone was joyously about 20 minutes into it, and all of a sudden it was Kristen's birthday.

The first birthday on the block. And it was a big deal.

So a party was thrown (sans alcohol, of course), and she got presents.

And they were all way, way, way too cute.

The highlight was one of those plastic sit n' drive thingies for babies. With a steering wheel that turns, and with a horn that honked, and with buttons and knobs and turnie things and levers that all made silly rattling noises too.

We all know what I'm talking about.

They ceremoniously presented the gift to her, and she playfully honked the horn, and turned all of the levers with ever so much cuteness, and then everyone went to bed.

I was hanging out with Kristen in her room, just me and her, and she looked at me, and said

Who the fuck do these people think I am? A friggin baby? What the fuck am I supposed do with this thing?

And that was a lesson for me. What the fuck was she supposed to do with that thing? She was right.

Obviously, Kristen is no My S., but the gift question remains.

Even though it would be so very easy to go to the Hello Kitty store and pick up something ridiculous with Batsmaru's (sp?) image on it, I wouldn't feel right giving that gift to My S. for her birthday.

'Specially since I really haven't hung out with her of late.

I wanna give her something that she will pick up two years later. When she puts it into her CD player, or re-reads it, or whatever, maybe she'll remember me.

And maybe toss a nickel into my cup.