My definition of success
For someone that doesn’t like to be social, lately, I’ve been more social than I intended.
Her: I can stop by with some wine.
Me: I’m not a wine drinker.
Her: But I am. Keep me company.
The gym’s been closed for the past few days to do some construction but on the last day we were open, my buddy Miller and I grabbed a cup of joe afterward.
Me: I think I have PTSD from everything that went down.
Him: (laughing) Dude, you’re the poster child for PTSD.
He told me I should try meditating to try to deal with the insomnia and intrusive thoughts.
It’s hard to quiet my racing mind but I did it because I promised I would, and I always keep my promises.
Besides, it was nice that he cared. Can’t say it was life-changing but I’ll try to keep it up.
Afterward, had dinner with a new friend.
That weekend, met up with a buddy of mine in Chinatown with our kids. We were playing phone tag for a while so it was good we finally got together.
He’s about six-foot-three so his kid, despite being a year younger than mine, was exactly the same height.
Him: What did you expect? You’re not gonna raise a basketball player.
Me: How dare you!
Brought everyone to the same Cantonese BBQ place that Chad and I go to before our Scenic Fights shoots. As always, I thought I ordered too much, but we ended up killing everything.
Him: I’m in contract for a condo on the UES. $3.2 million, plus I gotta cover all the transfer taxes and both attorneys.
Me: Jesus Christ, that’s a lotta scratch. And that was fast too.
Him: (laughing) Been looking for over a decade, figured it was time to just do it. It’s pushing our budget but it had to be done. There are only 80 units in the whole building and they were selling out fast. Oh, they have a pool so you two should come by.
Me: You’ll regret saying that.
Afterward, we brought the kids to get some dessert. It was nice that they got along so well.
We then headed out to see my mom. This is my son running down a hill to see her.
It was sweet.
While he hung out with his cousins, I met up with another buddy of mine who just got a new whip.
Him: I totally overpaid. For what I paid for this, I coulda gotten a BMW last year. Damn supply-chain issues.
Me: Had I known it’d be like this, I woulda kept my ride instead of giving it away.
He was in a mood because his girl’s dad didn’t approve of him because he wasn’t born into wealth, even though he had a great job and loved the dude’s daughter.
I told him about Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) by Bruce Springsteen. The song tells a story about a fella that loves a girl but the family hates him because he’s a musician.
In it, Springsteen sings these, somewhat arrogant but, great lines that go:
I want to be your man
Someday we’ll look back on this and it will all seem funny
But now you’re sad, your mama’s mad
And your papa says he knows that I don’t (have any money)
Whoa, your papa says he knows (that I don’t have any money)
Well, tell him this is his last chance to get his daughter in a fine romance
Because the record company, Rosie, just gave me a big advance.
Me: What can you do but live your best life? Years ago, I uploaded this to YouTube because Alison and I talked about what being a success meant. (played the above video for him) That’s pretty much the only thing I’ve ever uploaded to YouTube prior to Scenic Fights. But that’s my definition right there.
Him: I’m not there yet.
Me: You will be. The best revenge is to have a successful, happy life. With his daughter.
Afterward, he drove me back to the kid and my family, but not before I grabbed Burger King for the kids.
I ordered so much food that they needed four people to put it together.
There’s a lot more to that story but nothing you’d be interested in hearing.
The kid was pooped by the time we went home.
Him: Can we do all that again?
Me: Sure. Be the type of person that people want to hang out with, and you’ll always have people asking you to do just that.
Him: (sleepily) OK, papa.
Location: having coffee and tea overlooking Central Park with Vazquez and Crowley at 3PM on a Tuesday afternoon
Mood: busy
Music: Now, I know your mama, she don’t like me (Spotify)
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