The intellectual equivalent of a ham sandwich.

Posts tagged ‘humor’

Weekly Wacko (20)

Adventures in Studly-ness!

Recently, for the first time I went to a bar and got a girls number. And I did it with jazz hands.

I work with a group of guys who are around my age and have also just started here. This has provided us with good reason to chat at work, and we grab lunch once a week or so.

On February 5th we decided to paint the town red. Another co-worker recommended we go to a bar in downtown Houston – Rocbar. Girls who work there dress in a lovely way (read: slutty), and they have, apparently, rock music.

The three other new guys came over and we played XBOX and three of us had two beers a piece. Then we piled into a car and picked up the fifth guy (the bar recommendation guy). The five of us, piled into a sedan, were ready for an adventure.

Before we had left my apartment I used the bathroom because when I drink any liquid I get a mean case of what doctors call ‘grandpa bladder.’ It’s a burden I bear.

The bar was maybe 35 minutes away and oh my Lord you’ve got to be kidding I have to pee again. I make a comment. The driver, D, looks at me in a – ‘you’re f-ing kidding me?’ way. I’m afraid not.

In my defense we drove from my apartment to get the fifth guy, so really it’d been a good 40 minutes since I’d last peed. That’s some bladder!

*

Once at the bar we started drinking. Gulp, gulp, gulp, down goes the liquid confidence.

We went to an outside patio type area and they had big swings, like you’d have on a big front porch. I sat down and start swinging around side-to-side, because that’s fun. I got the feeling I was ‘cramping the fellas style’ so I calmed down my five year old desire to play on a swing set.

Eventually two of the five guys went off and started chatting with girls. What a concept. Myself and the remaining two stood around, talked, and did laps around the bar like it was a middle school dance (‘hahahha! oh man look J’s talking with that girl!!! Duuuude, I wonder if he’ll get her number!!!’).

The two guys would re-join us periodically and we’d talk nonsense.

*

The liquid confidence finally entered my bloodstream and my mind went from ‘well she’s very pretty and aw shucks’ to ‘ehhh why not.’ Yeah, that’s right, the charm was on full blast.

I walked up to a group of girls and basically shouted at them (I’d been drinking, it was loud in the bar, but still I feel a bit awkward about my starting this conversation by yelling in their faces). I told them I was new to Houston, I’d just moved there, and what’s the best place to eat. I said this because it was true, and I love a good place to eat.

They weren’t having it. One of the girls semi-answered me so I looped around to hear her better. She told me a boring chain restaurant recommendation (seriously, that’s boring). I could tell they weren’t enjoying me, so I moved on.

Surprisingly, I didn’t care at all.

*

I headed outside and sat down on a swing, talking to two of my friends. I noticed that across the patio a girl was sitting on a swing, doing basically what I’d been doing when I first sat down. That was all the green light I needed.

(I actually met up with the girl one time, and since then nada – so this story comes from her since I was too boozy to remember. And I’m writing this now because had I written it when she and I were still talking, I would’ve felt like this was a bit odd. I don’t know dating etiquette, but I feel like blogging about a girl you’ve just met is not kosher.)

Apparently, I walked up, hands spread out like I’m semi going for a hug, semi doing jazz hands. I said ‘hey!!!’ very happily and then bam started talking. I didn’t introduce myself. I told her I’d just moved to Houston and what’s the best part about Houston. It turned out she was from northern California (where I’d moved from).

Within five minutes of meeting her I told her about my grandpa bladder.

I also talked to her about my job (which is probably fairly boring to most people).

All in all, I was a real charmer.

I ended the conversation by telling her that my grandpa bladder was acting up, and a fella’s gotta do what a fella’s gotta do. I said let me give you my number, she said no let me give you my number. Tricky.

*

Wish me luck tomorrow night. Hopefully there will be less jazz hands.

I mean, really – who starts a conversation with jazz hands?

Copyright 2010 Brad Stanley

Arby’s Love

I’m walking back from class one day to my apartment when a truck pulls up and parks semi in my path. First allow me to describe the area a little better. I am walking on a sidewalk which has a fence on one end (behind the fence are intramural fields) and on the other end the sidewalk has parking spaces which run perpendicular. So in order to “semi” block my path you just pull your car up a little too far into the parking space. Ok, to continue.

In the car sit my ex-girlfriend riding shotgun, the guy driving has his arm around her shoulder. Even though she is riding shotgun she is naturally leaning a little closer so it’s more like she’s sitting in the middle. In the back of the truck sit two guys. My first thought is if the ex moved closer when she saw me or if she had been sitting that close already. More background. The ex and I broke up about a month ago and we each are dating new people. I am happy for her, I think. I was glad to hear she is dating someone new because I broke up with her and she took the break up much worse than me. But I also think everything she has been doing lately is completely out of character for her so I assume it’s all fake and to try to mess with me or make me jealous in some way. So I wonder, if she was acting normally would I still be happy for her? Because right now my view is pretty self-centered. No, not pretty self-centered. Very. When you assume someone’s actions are dictated completely by trying to make you jealous, I don’t think you can get much more self-centered than that. I’d like to say here though, that’s it not my fault that I think this way. Well, yes it is. But I want to blame my friends (the female ones), because they all told me that everything the ex is doing is fake and in an attempt to make me jealous. Anyhow, the point of this is she’s been acting goofy. And today’s experience peaked it for me.

The two guys in the back hop out and walk toward me. The ex and her boyfriend also get out. For some reason I can’t help but picture the guys with letter jackets on and the ex in a cheerleading outfit. And as I look at myself my clothes transfer from jeans and a hoody to navy pants, a white button up shirt tucked in with mustard stains (even though I hate mustard) and pens sticking out of the pocket on my shirt. This whole scenario screams bad Disney Channel original movie. Soon it’ll be shouting it.

“Hey Brad” says the ex. Entirely too cool and whatever. Can I help that when she talks all I look for now are fake things?

“Hey, how goes it folks?” I attempt to play it cool as well. Really no situation ever starts out well when three jock type fellows and a chick who is your ex pull up in a truck and come to talk to you. However, my previous experiences and knowledge of this type of situation is limited to, again sorry, the Disney Channel. Maybe some Fox Family and the occasional ABC Family.

One of the two from the back of the truck says, “Why were you such a jerk to her?” The boyfriend is just staring at me. The ex is acting like this isn’t actually happening, like she is watching a TV show. She and I used to be able to laugh at stuff like this together, hopefully one day she’ll realize how funny this is. And hopefully for me, it won’t include a black eye. Time for some skillful conversational skills.

“Huh?” Genius. No one can penetrate a defense like this. With that response they’ll have nowhere to go.

“You heard me.” Hmm…well done. I should’ve seen that coming. These guys are definitely not the jocks I thought they were if they can think up stuff like that.

“When was I a jerk to you?” I direct this at the ex, even though I know full well it won’t be til the fiery conclusion that she screams, “you’re such a jerk! I hate you!” then she cries and runs to the truck. Again…Disney, thank you.

“You were a total tool to her yesterday.” Let me add here I like his use of alliteration. It’s one thing to insult me, but when you add alliteration it’s definitely excusable because alliteration always makes me happy.

He continues, “You told her you’d have lunch with her then blew her off.”

“What?” I had no lunch plans with her. She’s a loon! I WIN!

“No that was his roommate. He’s just been a jerk to me for the past few months,” she chips in. I have to say here that I don’t have the best poker face. My eyebrows have always had a knack for screwing me over. They assume the “you’re crazy” position with one way up and the other down. This also makes one eye big and the other small. All in all, I look like an idiot.

“If I’d been a jerk for the last few months why didn’t you break up with me?” Nooooo. BAD! Why? What? What was I thinking here? MAN! I really do have a knack for this kind of thing. Hey, what’s this? A bad situation? Let me kick it in the teeth, call it ugly and then eat it’s grandchildren real quick. Yeah, I eat bad situations grandchildren, I’m not taking bad that statement. It’s appropriate.

Really though, I do realize that was a bad statement. I can’t help it though. Girls tell me I need to be more sensitive and think before I talk. The second part is the one I’m having troubles getting down. I am sensitive, I feel bad about saying dumb things and doing mean things. I just don’t realize how bad they are until it’s too late. Always too late.

“You’re such a jerk.” The ex counters eloquently, but now she is visibly angry. That’s no good.

“Sorry, that was dumb. I’m dumb. So, anyhow. I’m going to head back to my apartment.” I turn to walk away because fleeing is clearly the best solution to this bit of crisis. Something hits me in the back. Don’t turn, don’t turn. Oh gross, it’s wet. Don’t turn, don’t turn!

“Hey that was mature. Real slick, buddy.” Why did those words just leave my mouth? Why did I turn? Why did he throw a soda at me? Seriously, gross. Back to me! Why? And the “real slick, buddy.” I’m now as cool as they are. When you say things like, “buddy” or “pal” and you say it very cool and collected-like it means you’re angry. I don’t care who you are, you don’t say “buddy” in a cool way after someone throws a soda at you (which, I just want to say it was from Arby’s so at least I agree with their choice of fast food…wait…maybe this is my out).

“Arby’s? Nice. I loves me some roast beef sandwich.” While I had been thinking they’d been doing the, “now we got him” grin and stare and hiding laughing at me. Now, utter confusion. No way out like the weird, Arby’s love way out. I have completely lost them and they have no idea what to say or do right now. VICTORY!

De Jour of the Week (2/28/10)

2/28/10

Ehhhhhhhh …

I’m happy, I just met the love of my life
I’ll dream of when I can call her my wife
Minus teeny things that cause some strife

Her beauty left me speechless
Wearing that stunning dress
She kinda stank, I must confess

Her laugh couldn’t be more charming
And a smile light and so disarming
That twitch she had was a bit alarming

She had intelligence to spare and more
With diverse passions she’d never be a bore
Her fear of open spaces could be a chore

She told stories that made me laugh
I think she’s the definition of “my better half”
Her nervous-vomiting was a social gaffe

The girl is quite magnificent
I’d go so far as Heaven-sent
Ignoring, of course, her temperament

Yes, I won’t be able to sleep at all tonight
I’ll be thinking about this girl who makes it all right
This girl who is, mostly, out-of-sight