Day: September 10, 2011

  • candlelight

    Leave all your love and your longin' behind --
    you can't carry it with you if you want to survive.

    - Florence + the Machine 

    -+-

    "...Christa, you're important."
    "...What?  That's kind of random."
    "I mean it.  You're an important person.  The world would be affected if you were gone.  People's lives would be different than if you weren't part of them.  You're a person that makes the world different by being part of it.  You're important."
    "Really?"
    "Yeah.  Like, who else would take care of your insulinoma cells?  Your children would all die!"
    "OH DEAR GOD NO, MAH BEBBEHS!!"

    -+-

    So apparently I can be very captivating.  If by captivating, I mean odd.

    I've been developing a lot of invaluable networks this summer, but the single most unexpected network that I expected to get affiliated with is frat culture.  Mind you, it's all been without a drop of participation -- I'd still much rather spend a Friday night eating ice cream than go to a frat party.  But it's a wild culture shock to even acquaint myself with; I didn't even know that they hosted frat parties on Tuesday nights.  Tuesday nights!  I'm so sheltered that I'm still so, "BUT HOW CAN THIS BE, THAT'S A SCHOOL NIGHT!  THERE'S CLASSES ON WEDNESDAY!"

    Yet it has yielded one of the most intriguing friendships that I've formed since I've moved back to Merced.  Recent times have been spent just feeling like I'm the most unique person on earth, because while frat culture is foreign to me, this kid was just as equally brand-new to Prudent Studying Geeky Asian Nerd culture.

    When I first met the kid, he looked at me like I was an exotic animal at the zoo, with just a lot of intrigue and wonder.  He went, "It's really nice meeting a girl like you, you're so rare.  I'm really used to meeting a lot of slutty girls that just want to drink and have sex, but you're a good girl.  When I first saw you, I was like, 'Who is this dumb girl?' because that's usually the only type of girl that I see around here, but you're actually really sweet, sincere, and smart.  You're really refreshing."

    And I just sat there, baffled and speechless.  So I've never heard... any part of that, ever in my life... ever.

    At the time, I was pretty sure that he was just being a frat guy and giving me frat guy lines, but as we became legitimate friends, it turned out to be true, no exaggeration -- I was the first "good girl" that he met since he moved to Merced two months ago.  But I do suppose that is the consequence of living at a frat house, lol!  So when he wanted to escape the drinking and the sluttiness that was apparently perpetually happening at the frat house, he'd text the quirky, prudent, nerdy, good girl, and we'd eat ice cream or I'd make noodles, and we'd watch movies and old cartoons, or just talk until the early morning instead.  I initially thought he was an evil creeper with frat guy motives, but turns out, he just really needed to be around a person that wasn't part of that other culture.  He just really needed to be around a girl that wasn't out to use him for liquor or sex, that he could have a real conversation with -- "You're the only decent girl in this entire town."  I became someone that he could complain about frat life with, which in turn educates me with insider information about frat culture, a.k.a. "O_O oh dear god."  But he really just stays on a nonstop, bewildered rant, "Wow, you're so different.  You are just the nicest girl in all of Merced.  And you're also really weird."

    I also learned that not all frat house inhabitants are stereotypical bros, manwhores, and douchebags (although most of them still seem to be).  But when I met this kid and all his frat cohorts (who are a completely different story all on their own), he was the last person that I'd expect to sing the VeggieTales theme song with me, or to know the names of all the characters on my various Sanrio memorabilia.
    "HEY, it's Keroppi!  You have a Keroppi!"
    "....wtf" 

    But two days ago, over boba milk tea, he tells me, "You know that day when you first 'saved' me from that party?" 
    "Yeah, 'cos I'm awesome.  Wuddup."
    "Well, I was actually going to leave Merced the day after."
    "Huh?  Where would you have gone?
    "Anywhere.  Anywhere that wasn't here.  I just really hated Merced.  I was sick of this town, of all of the partying, and of all of the girls."
    "Really?  But you're still here.  ...Wait.  WAIT.  Do I have to do with that?!"
    "Well, you made me less angry, and you made me hate Merced a little less.  Turns out there's some good in this town after all."
    "SO IN OTHER WORDS, I'M A BOSS, UNNGHHH"

    Like, how are you supposed to feel anything less after being told something like that?  To learn that, without even trying, by just being yourself, you were the reason that someone decided not to give up?  I feel like I've obtained a huge achievement in my plight to socialize!  Like that one achievement where you're playing your video game and you're like, "Damn, that's a difficult one! But that's an awesome trophy if I can get it!"  It's one of those.  And I got the trophy.  Hint: it was a vanilla framboise.  And it was amazing.  But damn, how many brownie points do I get for that one?

    It's so à la The Odd Couple, but methinks this is the start of a wonderful friendship!