12.17.2005

It's got to be some kind of omen...


It turns out that Simone actually exists. He is a real flesh and blood human being. Due to some freakish twist of fate, the two of us had never met despite having the same circle of friends for nearly four years. He'd come up often in conversations and such, but somehow we'd always managed to miss each other at parties and get togethers and stuff. I'd show up and someone would say, "Oh, you should have been here earlier- Simone was here." Or I would be invited to his house by one of our mutual friends, and I would be unable to go because my car broke down, or I had to fill in for someone at work. Always something very last minute. For never having met him, I knew a lot about him; in fact, people often forgot that the two of us were really complete strangers. About two years into it, this became a bit of a little private joke in my head. Someone would say something about Simone, and I would say out loud, "Oh, that Simone," like I knew him personally. And people would laugh and agree that Simone was really a character, all the while ignorant of the fact that I had no idea who I was talking about. Then at some point I became hesitant to actually meet him. I'd formed such a clear picture of him that I felt it unecessary to actually meet him. I liked him a lot- he was stylish and charming and friendly and intelligent and gay, so he was basically the perfect guy (not in a romantic sense, of course, just in general). I didn't want to ruin it by meeting him, so I didn't. But alas, last night there was no escape. I went to Gianluca's graduation party at Brennan's in Clayton, and Simone was there. I attempted to avoid him, and at first I thought I might succeed. I told everyone I wasn't going to meet him, and that if I met him I would die in a fiery plane crash on my way to Italy because actually meeting him at this point would be very bad luck. But then some punk (ANTONELLO LODDO) went up to him and told him that I was afraid I would die if I met him, so he came up to me laughing and introduced himself. So what was he like, this person I'd crafted from countless conversations and stories? Well, after I spent a little time talking to him, it became evident that he was stylish, charming, friendly, intelligent, and gay. Now I'm a little nervous that I'm right about the bad luck thing, too.