The Manhunt assignation is proving more interesting than not. For others it seems mostly about sex but for me it’s all about the people one can meet, the stories they tell and the places they take you.
This evening I met a young man right at very end of Wilshire Blvd at Takami, a rather grand sushi bar on the 21st floor of a building overlooking LA’s great success story: Down Town.
In all of LA this is the most like a recognisable big city, complete with tall buildings, pedestrians, store fronts and a huge film crew shooting LA for NYC.
All the lights in all of the high rises seem to be left on all night to delight people like me hankering for a world city. The city streets teaming with city people. I can quite understand why so many young people want to live there.
I rather wish I did..but by November I will be in a real big city.
The young man I met this evening was a deaf, thirty-year-old graphic designer from Mexico City. He asked for a seat in a quieter part of the restaurant. The hostess put us under a speaker blaring very loud music. When I asked to be moved she looked at me pityingly and told me that this was the ‘brightest part of the restaurant’ I snapped back that he was deaf not blind. He was delighted. She was not.
Dinner wasn’t nearly as challenging as it threatened to be until the internet date told me that six years ago he was kidnapped.
Well, if someone tells you that they have been kidnapped you might want to know why and how. I asked a few careful questions but apparently that was the wrong thing to do as he promptly burst into tears.
We left the expensive lobster rolls uneaten.
He very kindly paid for dinner. Phew.
As he tearfully relived the details of his kidnapping my mind wandered. I looked out over the city scape and thought about how intriguing this internet connecting phenomena is. I mean, I wouldn’t usually get to meet half the men I meet on-line and the best thing is I never have to meet them again.
Could you imagine how fruitful it would be if I liked having sex with strangers?
After dinner we wandered the streets and then I drove 30 miles home.
Good to get home.
What else happened today? Walked the dogs down to the sea. Returned emails and calls. Met Frank over at SHLA, Frank is a darling. Spent an hour or so at the Hollywood house and packed more stuff in the car.
Slowly, slowly making progress with the move. So much kitchen stuff. Christ, can I chuck it out? This evening I will get on my knees and pray: Please God..let me have the strength to chuck this junk.
The mouse in the house is not dead despite poison and traps.
By the way…have not looked in the mirror recently and enjoyed what I have seen but today I did. It’s as if the corner really has been turned.
Must buy shoe trees. My shoes all look crushed after the move.
6 replies on “Manhunt Date No. 6”
Guessing the view of the lobster roll was from the Ritz Carlton and Puck… That view is a very romantic perspective of downtown… that fades once you gain access to a freeway. 🙂
yes go little mouse!! sorry I just love mice but of course not running loose in your house. I just love animals but if you had a spider running loose I would say KILL KILL!!!
Instead of chucking stuff, why not donate it to a local shelter or charity?
Well, by chucking I mean..getting it out of the house. It will be donated or sold.
when both my parents passed away , I was left with the huge disaster of sorting through and cleaning their house to sell. Not being a sentimental type, if it wasn’t worth a dollar, I donated it or trashed it, it’s actually very liberating . Then again I move people for a living and to this day it amazes me what people keep. And also that people who hoard is actually increasing, ten yrs ago I didn’t see half the people saving utter crap as I do now. Not that your stuff is crap D, but if you don’t use it in a year, you most likely never will. There’s some awfully poor folks out there right now that might really appreciate your things you don’t use. Just a thought.
Duncan – this deaf 30 yr old graphic designer from Mexico City who had been kidnapped sounds intriguing. Since you are not looking for sex with strangers via Manhunt and you have the soul of a cineaste – would not a friendship or creative partnership be worth exploring with this person? Unless, that is, you appreciated some pathology in the encounter. I am finding that hurting people, regardless of how professionally talented and functional they are, are increasingly being marginalized in our society. As in, any perceived vulnerability amounts to a “write-off”. I myself have been guilty in the past of this unjust kind of judgment. Those who freely exhibit vulnerability in our predatory culture are generally of two ilks: the “real deal” (and I would count you among them) and the toxic narcissists looking for attention. With proper boundaries, while these encounters might not have long-term romantic potential, there is the opportunity for support, mentorship and friendship. Perhaps your friendship might make a difference in someone’s life. Something to consider.