1999-2000
We boarded the train in Baltimore.
It was free for me because I was working for Amtrak at the time. Dan and Meridith didn't get so lucky with the train fee......but it was the Millenium, for the love of God.
We had to do something fun, and the two of them were in my blood at that point. My best friends.
So it was on New Year's Eve 1999 we fled Baltimore, in favor of NYC.
I'd had a few trips up there by this time, with fleeting success at really being independent. I had to rely on my friends who lived there to make sure I knew what was what.
This trip, my friend Dana gave us her apartment on the Lower East Side. An area of the city that I still cherish, my first love in that grand city.
We got off the train, the air was crisp with fear the world was going to end. Manholes were being sealed shut. And our night was just beginning. We ended up going for early drinks at a variety of places. The last one I can remember was the Hanger in the West Village. When I say early drinks, I mean....maybe it was 6pm.
I remember leaving that bar and going back to Dana's apartment for a spontaneous silly photo shoot with our cameras. Drinking all the while...until it was time to go to the Roxy.
We spent the Millenium at the Roxy. Pretty nuts. Each of us had our own scenes happening.
I lost Meridtih and Dan at some point.
Ended up going home with some guy Pascal.
It was a long night full of hijinx.
I'd solidified plans to go to back to visit Pascal the following weekend.
I went up that next weekend for some underground party, that was supposed to be all the rage.
Anyway, I got to Pascal's and quickly realized that I had zero interest in him. zero. One of his friends told me that Pascal confided in him and told him that he thought I was the "one"
Anyway there were lots of drugs and lots of odd guests in his very well appointed condo.
Later that night at G, his friend Cristofe showed up. Immediately I knew trouble was to be had. Cristofe wanted me. He talked to me, flirted with me, and made it known to me that he was sad he was going to have to betray his friend Pascal, in order to take me home that night.
So it is written.
We go to this party, dance, get deep in each other's mouths and we leave. Only, we dont go to Cristofe's place.
We go to Pascal's place to get my bags. I was moving out. And into Cristofes bed.
I will say this. It was a fine bed. A fun bed. An all night long bed. Did I mention he was from Paris?
I thought I had died. So handsome, and he fracken made me Crepes in the morning !!!!
He loved me too. He was leaving for Paris for two weeks to visit his family.
He told me the date he was coming back to the U.S.A., and said I was to meet him at his place that day.
While he was away, I got a few postcards from France.
On the train ride up to meet him, post France trip, I drank wine to help calm my nerves. Was sooooo worked up. I kept a journal from this time in my life, you should read it. Ha.
but then. then something happened. well. someone showed up to that apartment in midtown.
I'd been warned about her. Told of her follies and hurtful ways. After a half hour, it was clear, Cristofe was not feeling me. Here i was, all doe eyed and lovelorn.
That bitch. She'd been there just before me. In fact I think I bumped into her in that loft elevator shaft.
You see boys, Karma steps in about 10 minutes before you get there. Times it perfectly for optimal effect.
Karma's feeling, in this case, was that I fucked over Pascal, so Cristofe would have to fuck me over. .........it hurt. I'd invested some hopes on that man.
I often see Cristofe online and wonder, what did Karma do to him. We all deserved what we got. Its just, what did he get?
Hopefully a fun night if nothing else. I know I did. And a little tiny crack in my heart.
On the train ride back to Baltimore, I thought I'd die. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck.
So it is. Here we are. Loving more than we should. Loosing more than whats fair. But. Here we are.
All snakes in the garden. Of good and evil.