In looking over the crap I have to get rid of, I noticed the posters rolled up and tucked between the book cases. They've been there since 2004, but they do not belong to me. They were left here by my friend Daren who spent a brief time sleeping on my couch and, eventually, a futon is the alcove room. Daren's leaving was emotional. I asked him to leave, not out of anger, necessarily, but because I was becoming increasingly bothered by things that shall be left unsaid and I wanted to always adore him and be his friend. In the end, there were no long goodbyes, no lingering hugs, just an empty, clean room and a letter on my laptop which I no longer use but can't throw away because I have no way of retrieving that letter and I don't want to lose it.
Anyway, when I came home and looked around his empty room, I found the only remaining evidence that Daren had lived here--a guitar pick, the posters, and a blue Bic lighter which was laying on the futon. Today, in preparation for the big clean up this weekend, I called Daren to see if he still wanted the posters. There were some pretty cool ones, including a collectible White Stripes light box piece. He said "yes" then asked me if I'd like to have dinner, too. Well, I can't say no to a handsome fella, so we met at my place and headed off to Masa in Echo Park. After the most enormous Caesar Salad ever, we came back here to sort out the poster situation. We reminisced about our brief cohabitation, Daren mostly, but me too. I missed him, really, really missed him. He's a jetsetting musician these days (I always knew he would be) so he's rarely even in LA anymore, let alone have time to socialize. I miss the way he used to sing to me. He tuned Dave (the guitar) and played me a little Beatles tune. Then I asked him if he wanted his lighter. He laughed and asked, "Why would you keep my lighter?" So I told him how sad I was when he was gone and how I left that lighter laying on the futon for a very long time before I folded the futon back into its chair form and put the lighter away.
We talked a bit more and Daren took a few last looks around. When he remarked how little had changed since he left I explained that I left things that way because "they reminded me of you." As we hugged goodbye, Daren said, "Maybe you should keep the lighter."
And I did, because I'm all sentimental and shit.
And this is why I need someone with no emotional ties to help me clean, because I would hold on to everything. (I'm going to hide the lighter, though).
Anyway, when I came home and looked around his empty room, I found the only remaining evidence that Daren had lived here--a guitar pick, the posters, and a blue Bic lighter which was laying on the futon. Today, in preparation for the big clean up this weekend, I called Daren to see if he still wanted the posters. There were some pretty cool ones, including a collectible White Stripes light box piece. He said "yes" then asked me if I'd like to have dinner, too. Well, I can't say no to a handsome fella, so we met at my place and headed off to Masa in Echo Park. After the most enormous Caesar Salad ever, we came back here to sort out the poster situation. We reminisced about our brief cohabitation, Daren mostly, but me too. I missed him, really, really missed him. He's a jetsetting musician these days (I always knew he would be) so he's rarely even in LA anymore, let alone have time to socialize. I miss the way he used to sing to me. He tuned Dave (the guitar) and played me a little Beatles tune. Then I asked him if he wanted his lighter. He laughed and asked, "Why would you keep my lighter?" So I told him how sad I was when he was gone and how I left that lighter laying on the futon for a very long time before I folded the futon back into its chair form and put the lighter away.
We talked a bit more and Daren took a few last looks around. When he remarked how little had changed since he left I explained that I left things that way because "they reminded me of you." As we hugged goodbye, Daren said, "Maybe you should keep the lighter."
And I did, because I'm all sentimental and shit.
And this is why I need someone with no emotional ties to help me clean, because I would hold on to everything. (I'm going to hide the lighter, though).
2 comments:
You need Niecy Nash from "Clean House" to come and help you.
Aw, hunny. That broke my heart. I'm with you - I'd keep the lighter, the laptop, the posters, even the futon after it got all grungy and stuff. :S
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