the dayton days [63]

Me, Jess, and Carly tree climbing!

Monday. Carly, Alison and I grabbed dinner at Panera Bread. Carly was ranting about all the work drama. Jessica had commented, "Everyone's just being so damned selfish and lazy!" We went to the house Cars is sitting and tried to get the big-screen in the basement to work but failed. I left around midnight. Carly asked me, "Do you fancy Jessica?" "Why do you wanna know?" I said. "My cat senses tell me that you do," she said. "Well," I said, "I do, but I don't know in which way."

Tuesday. I watched UFO shows all morning and went to work 11-7:00. Jess & Faith had a big heart-to-heart in the back. It was pretty secretive, and when I went back there, I said, "I'm just working guys, so if you don't want me to overhear, don't talk, because I'm listening." They laughed. I later found out that their "talk" was about me and Jess. Faith noticed our chemistry and was asking Jessica about me right then and there! Ha. Jess smoked with me on my 10 before heading home. I went to the woods at North Park to smoke. The old high school stomping grounds. I got groceries at DLM and a different cashier flirted with me (not the J.W. chick). The whole thing started with her saying, "Are you still in high school? 'Cause you sure look it!" Who the hell says that? Guess my haircut DOES make me look younger. Damn it. Dinner was a Greek pita sandwich with red pepper hummus, cucumbers, alfalfa sprouts, baby spinach, and feta cheese.

Wednesday. I worked 6-1:30 with Jessica, Joanne, Asenath, and Tony. Good times. J.J. came in and remarked, "Hey, who's the ten-year-old on bar?" Haha. It was warm today and strangely snowed around noon. WTF Ohio? Jess & I went to see Carly at her house-sitting gig in Kettering. We went to the store by goodies and then by Carly's apartment. We shotgunned beers in the lot and then a cop pulled up and we played it cool. In Kettering I fixed hamburgers on the grill out back and Jess made guacamole and Carly squeezed some fresh oranges for O.J. Cars bought some bubbles so we played with them for a while and Jess & I climbed a tree house. We went to Grant Park, traversed some creeks and climbed some trees. We relaxed back at the house until pretty late. Jess & I fooled around with the weight-training machines in the basement, and she was shocked I could do 100# on the pulldown bar. "You should start working out!" I told her I do, but my muscle tones far more than it builds. Regarding Jess, (A) I really enjoy spending time with her, (B) she's a really great girl, and (C) I caught myself flirting at least once and stopped because (D) despite all this, I don't know if I like her like her. And maybe it's due to my own insecurities? But she seems far outta my league.

Thursday. Ams called Mom around 2 AM, was pulled onto the side of the road sobbing and having awful anxiety attacks. At 3 AM Mom, Dad and I got down to Cincinnati and picked her up from Mandy's. I drove her car to Dayton and she rode with me, and we talked about all the stress in her life. We got back home around 6 AM and I didn't sleep before work. I was scheduled 7-3:30 but pending the circumstances, Wade was gracious and let me leave at 9:00. After twelve shots of espresso I was still SO tired I couldn't focus. The lack of sleep coupled with all the stress did a number on me. Mom & Dad took Ams to see Joe. I ran out for some O.J., 'cause I was feeling sick, and went by work to share some laughs with Carly, Betsy, and Asenath. I felt bad for only working two hours this morning, but both Jess & Cars agreed: family comes first, ALWAYS. Regarding Ams, she's doing a lot better. Sky hurt her mouth playing with sticks. She whimpered and wedged her head between my legs and I held her until she felt better.

Friday. I worked 5:30-noon with Wade, Joanne, J.J., and Jessica, then led a coffee seminar. I went to North Park with Ams to smoke, and back home we watched some "Strange Science" documentaries and she went back down to Cincinnati. Dylan and I are going down tomorrow, one last hoorah before he leaves for Africa for two years (Peace Corps). Mom & Dad went to bible study. Jessica asked me to come to her art crit Saturday. Too bad I already have plans. She's moving to Wilmington at the end of the month; our hangout times may drastically decrease.

Saturday. I worked 6-2:30, and then Dylan & I went down to Cincinnati. We spent the day with Mandy, Blake, Rob and T.J. We got lunch at The Spicy Pickle, then bubble tea from across the street, and I took over 100 pictures goofing around on the Claypole House front porch and then messing around at C.C.U. We played 007 and then Dylan and I headed back home in a thick blanket of mist. I dropped Dylan off and picked up cigarettes, then spent some time driving through neighborhoods cloaked in fog. I had to drive so slow, could hardly see. Carly recommends that I "lay low" regarding Jessica, that she's not ready for a relationship, evidenced by her "sailor activities" in D.C.

Sunday. I spent the day running errands with my sunroof rolled down (eighty degrees out). Dewenter and I grabbed Kabuki for dinner. He went to his grandpa's, and Joe came by the house to drop off a Cannondale M500, a mountain bike that runs for $500 now. Shiza. A gift to me. Dad & I fine-tuned it, and I'll take it out soon. By June I want to be able to bike to work. "That'd be so cool!" Jess said. Maybe I can impress her? I went by The Marketplace and saw Danny (from work and C.C.U.); he got written up 3x today. How does that happen?