Ok, so maybe it wasn’t exactly the end of an era, because the other week, I saw Colette. I know. I guess living an entire city away, just isn’t far enough for us to actually say goodbye. I’m still not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but it is what it is. And it’s not like it’s my fault that I saw her again. I was invited. Colette’s mom called me up, one fine morning, and asked if I wanted to drive up with her and Monette, Colette’s younger sister, to see Colette. I didn’t wanna say, “No,” because I thought that would be considered rude, so I went along for the ride. Along with about half of Tucson. Who knew Colette was missed by so many?
After we got to Phoenix and caught up with each other, we found ourselves just sitting around, in Colette’s new apartment, wondering what to do next. It was weird. I mean, I know the point of the visit was to visit with Colette, but how much could a person miss another person after only being away for a week? That’s when I suggested we go to a party. After all, it was the weekend before school, so surely there were a few kegs floating around the city, just waiting to be pumped. An hour later, we were at the party of Colette’s fellow classmates. That’s when we met Jason.
Jason was from our side of the tracks, meaning he came up from Tucson too. He had just moved to Tucson at the beginning of the summer and was still learning his way around Arizona. He wasn’t really all that interesting, I’ll admit, but I think he was just nervous being in another new city and not really knowing anyone. I was just about to leave to get my second cup of Jungle Juice when Jason said something that made my ears perked.
Every year, towards the end of the summer, 93.7 KRQ, a local radio station in town, holds a contest where the winner wins a $10,000 shopping spree at the mall. Jason was that winner. He bought an iPhone, DVD’s, designer sunglasses, a whole ton of stuff. He even got $2,000 more in gift cards to be spent at random apparel shops! Ugh…$12,000 given to someone who wasn’t even born and raised here! And the worst part of it all? Jason cant shop at the mall because none of the clothes fit him. More proof that God does have a cruel sense of humor.
So here was a guy with an extra $2000 and he couldn’t spend it. I swear, at that moment in time, I had dollar signs flashing in my eyes, like the screen of a coin slot machine in Las Vegas. I wanted that $2000 shopping spree. After all, if Jason couldn’t spend the money, then why couldn’t I? I mean, wasn’t I the one who wanted to go out to a party? Wasn’t I the one who had initiated conversation with Justin?
I made sure to get Jason’s phone number before I left the party and Phoenix. I knew I had to take advantage of the fact that I had a home advantage above all those Phoenixians at the party who may have overheard Jason tell me that he had $2000 laying around in gift cards. For the next week and a half, I had a new friend. I invited Jason to the movies, to a party, to everywhere. Some of my friends, the ones who weren’t at the party, couldn’t understand why I was “courting him”, but they didn’t understand that there was $2,000 here at stake. And I was gonna try and do whatever it took to get my hands on those gift cards. Apparently, everyone that went to the party had the same goal in mind.
It seemed I wasn’t the only one who heard Jason’s story that night. I found out Colette was just as textually active as I was. She even sent Jason a “Welcome to Arizona” gift basket. It was sneaky and vindictive and the worst part of it all? Jason actually liked it! I’m in competition with an entire group of people who are supposed to be my friends. Why cant they just let me enjoy $2,000 in peace? Which is where you guys, my fellow blogosphere friends, come in hand. I need some ideas on how to outwit and outplay my friends/competition. And don’t worry…I’ll cut you in for a little somethin’-somethin’.
After we got to Phoenix and caught up with each other, we found ourselves just sitting around, in Colette’s new apartment, wondering what to do next. It was weird. I mean, I know the point of the visit was to visit with Colette, but how much could a person miss another person after only being away for a week? That’s when I suggested we go to a party. After all, it was the weekend before school, so surely there were a few kegs floating around the city, just waiting to be pumped. An hour later, we were at the party of Colette’s fellow classmates. That’s when we met Jason.
Jason was from our side of the tracks, meaning he came up from Tucson too. He had just moved to Tucson at the beginning of the summer and was still learning his way around Arizona. He wasn’t really all that interesting, I’ll admit, but I think he was just nervous being in another new city and not really knowing anyone. I was just about to leave to get my second cup of Jungle Juice when Jason said something that made my ears perked.
Every year, towards the end of the summer, 93.7 KRQ, a local radio station in town, holds a contest where the winner wins a $10,000 shopping spree at the mall. Jason was that winner. He bought an iPhone, DVD’s, designer sunglasses, a whole ton of stuff. He even got $2,000 more in gift cards to be spent at random apparel shops! Ugh…$12,000 given to someone who wasn’t even born and raised here! And the worst part of it all? Jason cant shop at the mall because none of the clothes fit him. More proof that God does have a cruel sense of humor.
So here was a guy with an extra $2000 and he couldn’t spend it. I swear, at that moment in time, I had dollar signs flashing in my eyes, like the screen of a coin slot machine in Las Vegas. I wanted that $2000 shopping spree. After all, if Jason couldn’t spend the money, then why couldn’t I? I mean, wasn’t I the one who wanted to go out to a party? Wasn’t I the one who had initiated conversation with Justin?
I made sure to get Jason’s phone number before I left the party and Phoenix. I knew I had to take advantage of the fact that I had a home advantage above all those Phoenixians at the party who may have overheard Jason tell me that he had $2000 laying around in gift cards. For the next week and a half, I had a new friend. I invited Jason to the movies, to a party, to everywhere. Some of my friends, the ones who weren’t at the party, couldn’t understand why I was “courting him”, but they didn’t understand that there was $2,000 here at stake. And I was gonna try and do whatever it took to get my hands on those gift cards. Apparently, everyone that went to the party had the same goal in mind.
It seemed I wasn’t the only one who heard Jason’s story that night. I found out Colette was just as textually active as I was. She even sent Jason a “Welcome to Arizona” gift basket. It was sneaky and vindictive and the worst part of it all? Jason actually liked it! I’m in competition with an entire group of people who are supposed to be my friends. Why cant they just let me enjoy $2,000 in peace? Which is where you guys, my fellow blogosphere friends, come in hand. I need some ideas on how to outwit and outplay my friends/competition. And don’t worry…I’ll cut you in for a little somethin’-somethin’.
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