Yakamatsu (x)

Hey, Gabe and I are organizing a pot-luck dinner on his place. Wanna come?

Awwww... you guys are inviting me?? that's so sweet!

[whatever] It'll be Oscar night, we'll do dinner before and watch the show.

Sounds cool.... but who is he?

What do you mean?? It's Gabe... you know him.

No, the other guy.

What other guy?

Oscar... is it his birthday? should I buy a present or anything??

o.O

Well?? is it???

I have to go. I need to lay down.

Yakamatsu (ix)

Laterzzzzzzz!

Going out?

Yeap.

Ohhhh... looking nice! Who's the lucky guy???

First floor neighbors.

Oh lala!!

The guy's a 75 year-old man.

Oh... gross!!

He and his wife are taking me out for dinner.

And why aren't they taking ME as well???

Do you even know who am I talking about?

From their mailbox, I know their last name! Hui.

No sweetie, those are the chinese from the second floor. Two dudes. In their 20s.

Still, I can't believe they didn't ask you to invite me. That's rude!!

Do you know their names?

No.

They don't know yours either. You're even. See ya!

Why do I exercise?

0-3 years old: huh?
3-12: Swimming is funnnnnn!!
13-16: I have to, I don't want to fail PhyEd and my mom is dragging me to tennis lessons... ugh!
17-22: Now I want to be a badass tennis player.
23-27: I'm a yuppy and that's what we do, I want to fit the clothes I can afford now.
28-33: He drags me to the gym every-single-f***ing-day.
33-34: I just lost a TON of weight. I want to look good into any piece of rag I try on.
35+: I want to look good naked.

Yakamatsu (viii)

Did you see? the Pope made the news again.

Nice, where?

He's in the cover of Rolling Stone?

What's that?

... a magazine.

Never heard of it... is it a geology journal?

O.o

Having a baby

... now that I have your attention...

No, I'm not HAVING a baby, I HAVE two babies.

Want to meet them?

Click here and here.

Yakamatsu (vii)

I swear, I am NOT making any of this shit up.

Did you hear?? Nelson Mandela died!!!

I saw that, yes!

Do you know who Nelson Mandela was?

[Oh fuck! am I being tested?!?!] Ummm... SouthAfrican president - Apartheid - Racism - Prisioner... Ummm...

REALLY? I thought he was a singer.

[Jaw. to. the. floor]

Lunch, next day:

Did you hear about the World Cup draw?

World Cup... do mean soccer??

Uh-huh.

Not really, I'm not into sports, I prefer to read about news of the world.

[Suuuuuuuuuuuuure you do... pffffff!!!!]

The World Cup... they'll play before New Year's in Australia, right? 

[I think I'll lose my jaw to all the "flooring"] 

What about it?

[And now, to ensure my ticket to Beelzebub's fire pit...] Do you want to hear something sad?

Oh no!!!... what?!?!

Nelson Mandela was going to sing at the opening ceremony.

Oh noooooo!!! poor guy!!

Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.

Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.
Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.

I kept repeating that phrase to myself while I looked for a number on my phone.
I haven't dialed it in a long, long, LONG time.
I wanted to make the call. I needed to.

Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.
Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.

Before calling his number I called his office. I wanted to check if him, Dr. so-and-so was going to be available before Thanksgiving or if he was going to be out of the country because... you never know. Family values, right?
His secretary was "nice" enough to transfer my call to his direct line.
Oh crap!!

Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.
Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.

Lucky for me, he was not in his office and I had a couple more days to think about what I was going to say besides...

Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.
Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.

I was ready for a voice mail from a rejected call.
I was ready for an everlasting ringing and no pick-up sound.
I was ready for a "What do you want?!" from the other end of the line.

Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.
Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.

I knew we didn't end up in the best of terms.
He hurt me and I hurt him. I disappeared from his life and he didn't bother to look for me. Or did he?
All of our common friends don't talk to him anymore so... how was I supposed to know what was going to happen when I called?

Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.
Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.

I gather all the brave bones in my body and I dial his cell-phone number.

Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.
Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.

It's ringing...

Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.
Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.

And someone picks up...

Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.
Hey, it's me. Don't hang up.

And...

HEY YOU!! HOW ARE YOU?!?!
IT'S SO NICE TO HEAR YOUR VOICE AGAIN!!
WHAT A GREAT SURPRISE!!

Hey, it's me. Don't hang --- WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!?!

He was surprisingly nice. Oh my God... is he dying?!?! Is he high on mushrooms!?!?!
He asked about my life and my health.
I asked about his work, his new place, his health...
He told me he had a heart-attack scare and I told him about my boob-bump scare and we both promised to be good people and take care of ourselves.
He asked about my family and I did the same.
We talked about our plans for the future.
We apologized to each other for all the weird stuff that had happened, I thanked him for all the good things he had done for me and I told him how much I missed him.
I told him I was surprised how he knew it was me, how he hadn't deleted my number from his phone and he said: "Why would I do that? you don't delete the people you love from your life! I you just give them and yourself time to cool down and forget the reasons why you were mad. I'd never delete your number from my phone. I'll always love you."
He apologized as well, he called our "fight" a tie and suggested we started brand new with a: "Hi, how are you? my name is... what's yours?"
We talked for about one hour, then he had to go, but not before saying: Don't be a stranger, please stay in touch. Really, don't be a stranger.

We hung up and I had a big smile on my face.

And then... I woke up.