Dinner Again 3

I finished up my workout, got dressed, and walked back to my car.

I would call 10 minutes prior to 7, and then first ask whether he wanted to dine on or off campus, and that I would drop him off wherever he needed to be after mealing.

I called, hey.
Where are you? he asked.
About to get in my car. Do you want to do off or on campus. I can drive to wherever you need to be afterwards.

I don't have to be back until 8 or 8:30, he said. If you're about to get into your car, then off works.

Alright.
He gave me the directions to the pick up spot.

He was dressed in all sweats and he had his backpack with him. So much for thinking that he was going to primp or preen for this outing.

I turned in front of him, and opened the door.

A totally different person got into my car. Gone was the cockiness, the attitude, and the presumptiousness. I was shocked, pleasantly. He commented on the clock in my car, and why it was so off.

I mentioned a time when I was driving across time zones a lot. He asked if I had ever driven x country. I said yea. I described the trip briefly.

He said he wanted to do so at some point.

We chatted--about shit like that and his return to Asia for the holidays.

I picked not only a distinctive restaurant, but a distinctive, casual, and secluded location.

Asian boy had complained about lots of things about the area surrounding the school. I had come to suspect that he didn't get out often and that he didn't have a car. The two don't necessarily go together. It was odd that these seemed to be both true for him. He must either be somewhat hermit-ish, sheltered, or both. Even during my loner periods in life, I have always actively gone out and checked out new venues. Always--I actually like being alone while out.

I also came to suspect that unlike a lot of Asians with whom I have gone to school, he wasn't particularly wealthy. I still didn't know this fact for sure. But I didn't know exactly what to make of it.

We got down, and entered the restaurant. There was only one person our age there, and the only other few folks were older.

I looked at the menu, and at the ingredients. They used these large samurai like swords to chop and mix the salads. It was cool.

As I stared at the optional ingredients, I could feel his eyes on me. I discretely looked at him without moving my head. I saw him--staring at me, then taking in the location, and then he stared at me again, and smiled.

He knew I had given this thing thought, and I felt that he was flattered.

I ordered a normal dish. He however piled on every type of meat in the house. From steak to seafood and tofu. He asked if he could. I joked--go all out man.

It's insane how much he eats. He's so buff yet lean at the same time. Even with large sweats on, his unique shape was clear. I stared at his pants in particular. They hung so nicely on him.

He caught me. I smiled, and said, I like your pants. He chuckled, and looked away.

After a pause, I asked, are there any good authentic Asian food places around here?

Ehhh, he said. There are, but they aren't so good. Suddenly, he looked down, and I saw him think through several multiple turns. He then snapped, looked back up at me with a smile, and said, still, we should go to some of them sometime.

I turned away from him, embarassed and super flattered. I didn't know what to say--except for-- I'd like that.

If I doubted his orientation, or if I doubted his being out to himself in the past. These doubts were now gone. Unlike previous ambiguous friendships I have entertained with school mates, this young one was at least for himself sure of who he was and whawt he wanted. The social question remains.

I must have blushed--damn, a third dinner.

We got drinks, and paid. The lady serving us was Asian, but not of the same kind as he. I knew a bit of her language, so I conversed with her. I was being polite in doing so. Not to impress AB, although I saw his expression, and he was.

He asked me which languages I spoke. I told him. I asked him the same.

No one was in the restaurant. We had the place to ourselves. I dumbly asked, shall we eat here? Yea, he said.

There were a variety of size tables. Four, six, and two seaters. He picked the right type next to a window.

I love eating with someone I'm into, in a secluded and lonely restaurant. Some of my best memories are doing just that.

I looked at him as he sat down. He was beautiful. I loved his skin, his cheeks, his dark and almond-like eyes. His overly straight hair. His skin looked darker than before, but it still had this awesome clarity to it. His visage had depth to it.

He looked a little nervous. We started eating.

He asked about my trip to his birthplace for the holidays. It was an ironic twist that I had mentioned earlier. I said how one of my siblings would be there for the holidays, still my going there was uncertain.

He asked if my brother lived there. No, I said. He'll be lodging there and I suggested he and I upgrade his room and split the cost. But he's moody, and he may not want me there.

He asked where my brother went to school. I told him. He was taken aback.

Why are you surprised, I asked.

I know a lot of people at that school, he said slowly.

Oh, I thought--another freakin similarity. My world can be sooo small, its scary.

He mentioned how his friends were working so hard that they lost a ton of weight they didn't even have. I chuckled, and then asked what are they on?

He thought I was joking, but then he saw that I expected an answer. I saw his expression--oh shit, his friends and relatives are not pharmaceutically inclined. Ooops.

We talked about that campus. He asked how my brother liked it. I got into a description of him and his educational past in order to explain his perception of his current school.

I have a type-A family. I usually forget it until I'm talking with someone else. Most everyone is in some way ridiculously talented--if not so in multiple ways. Despite rambling and unconsciously bragging at several points, I still kept some of the more dramatic points of my brother's history to myself. He's my favorite out of all of them, and I love him a lot.

I caught myself--eventually, and stopped abruptly. I didn't know what to say, except the obvious. Where does your brother go to school?

It wasn't a top school--although it had some top graduate programs. The disparity was palpable as there was a beat of silence in the shift of the conversation.

Fuck, I thought--I screwed up. What does he major in, I asked. He gave me a generic answer. Shit, what do I ask now?

I was scared that if I probed deeper, something might go worst.

I then said, he must be jealous of you--fuck that came out wrong to. He gave me a surprised look.

Then I finsihed my sentence with--because of the weather.

Our school wasn't great on weather, but it was compared to his brother's school. His bro's school might as well have been in the artic circle.

Then he said with emphasis--ONLY the weather. I guess he wanted to make sure that there was no ambiguity regarding the issue of academic rank. Between him and his brother, it was not an issue. So, no sibling rivalry there. None necessarily expected.

He said he loved his brother's school because of the university's social life's compatability with the landscape. I was like--cool. He made a really poignant remark and I broke into serious laughter.

He had made a good point.

I wanted to make this point, did so half-ass, but probably shouldn't have. I don't hang out in generic places when I do go out. I have a knack for finding exclusive and interesting grounds. I guess I have the scent for them. So I briefly hinted that there are many places in our area that were unique, but that they required some investigation, a noteable downside.

I didn't go any further, since by now, I was certain he didn't go out much.

I asked how long he had lived in the city of his birth. He got defensive, and quickly replied two years, and then switched the topic to an internship he had recently done there. It was a cool internship that was presitigious, selective, and yet related to public service. I was impressed.

We then talked about more cities and our preferences for them.

He bashed my hometown a bit. I thought it odd. Every town has a rough part. He only referred to that area. I didn't feel like going into the exact part of where I grew up.

Instead, I shifted the conversation to real estate, and how the market was changing and redefining what was considered to be upscale. I over did it--AGAIN.

I stopped eventually.

He asked me where I wanted to settle down ultimately. I was confused by the question. I don't think in that mode anymore. I think first, what do I want to do, and where will that take me. As long as what I am doing impassions me, the rest is just details.

I didn't say that though. I gave a half-hearted response, of I don't really know yet.

We talked about Asia for a bit, and how he eventually wants to go back there.

Cool, I thought.

Eventually, the conversation slowed down. I had been nervous earlier that we would size each other up. We had done so, but we had consciously both restrained ourselves. The attempt was only half way successful.

I again, put down my utensils, and said, This was good. He thanked me for the meal. I said with a tempered smile while looking away, my pleasure.

As we headed back, I said that I had heard of his father. He said, really?
I had asked my friend about him. I said what the perception of his father was back in his home. He was flattered although fleetingly so.

Then I asked about the Asian calendar. He perked up at that question and went into an explanation of it.

There was silence again. Then he asked me if I ever still went to campus to work, perhaps on weekends.

I was stunned--I had been doing this more lately, but only to run into him. I had not succeeded, and I wondered if he had seen me, and thought that I was trying to stalk him.

I panicked. Yea, I said. I get tired of my office and go to some of the more inviting libraries. I mentioned a couple that had trade publications that would be useful for my job.

He went to say how he had trouble studying in his dorm. How it wasn't a problem in high school, but that now it was.

I said the same thing about me and my apartment.

I didn't get his hint at the time. I'm retarded.

But before I dropped him off, I said, if you ever want to work together, let me know, or if you ever want to take a break from the student bubble.

He looked rushed as I said this, and he smiled, although not to genuinely. I want to say he was nervous. As he got out, he said, Thanks, I'll probably see you at the gym.

It ended oddly. I didn't know what to do. I sent him a follow up e-mail with a funny quote. He liked it and responded.