The last time I talked about Ric on this blog was back in this post where I mentioned that I'd casually ended our friendship after I picked him up at the airport. That was last September. And though he tried to call me a few times after that encounter, I'd remained steadfast and vigilant in my complete isolation from him. Except I didn't de-friend him on Facebook, so I was checking his status updates and vicariously touching base without his knowledge.
I eventually broke down in January as it came time to get ready for his promised 50th birthday bash in Key West. Well, of course, that had fallen through. The plans had whittled down to spending a couple days at a Disney resort. And before long that idea was nixed too since none of his friends were ponying up any funds for it. I know I certainly wasn't.
But it did turn out that what we eventually settled for was funded by me...dinner at Olive Garden. And who else did I foot the bill for? Joe, of course. Why would I think Ric would want to have a friendly dinner with just the two of us?
It wasn't long before we were in the routine again of my value in his life being relegated to only an online Civ gaming opponent.
Two nights ago, he called and as I picked up, I got ready to play another game of Civ but he actually invited me to come out with him to his new fav bar Friendly Confines. He was already toasty, but so was I having just guzzled down some gruesome-yet-potent Lime-a-Ritas. So, drunk and lonely, I drove up to Lake Mary, met him at the bar and we played NTN trivia...just like old times. But then things started getting weird...
This guy from South Africa was sitting near us and we were chatting with him but after a few minutes of banter he suddenly got up and left. Ric and I have that effect sometimes. Especially if we're crass and obnoxious. Perhaps we were. I was sucking down pitchers of Miller Lite like it was Kool-Aid.
Then this other dude, looking like a John Lennon-wannabe, came and sat by us. He immediately started acting like we've all been best buds for years and wanted us all to start singing drinking songs. He loudly began the chorus of "Ninety Nine Bottles of Beer" and goaded us on to join in. Ric and I tried to laugh him off but after a couple of minutes of ardent prodding on his part I felt bad for the obvious drunk and began with "I...wanna rock and roll all night...and party every day!" We three were soon loudly belting out the KISS tune together, garnering smirks or scowls from the other patrons, surely looking like quite the near-to-being-cut-off group we surely were.
The dude admitted he was trying to get us all to sing a song together as part of a bet he had with some guys outside, as he pointed to the large window behind us. But no one was there. He tried begging for some of our beer and Ric shut him down. Within a minute or two he forgot all about us, pressed his focus solely to his phone and before long was gone.
Ric then texted his "boy toy" Brandon. We finished our beers, I loaded Ric's bike into my trunk and we headed off to get Brandon to bring him to Ric's for some jaccusi time. Again, just like old times with this new fey twink playing the part formerly filled by Gary.
This kid is either a total free spirit or a complete flake, I haven't figured out which but before long, just like old times, he's playing the flirty Gary role perfectly and he's snuggling up to me in the hot tub. With Ric right there, we're coyly talking about sexual proclivities and before long I'm massaging, then sucking his toes.
Of course, just like old times, this brought up all the old feelings about Gary's "infidelity" and flirting with me. Brandon and Ric had a fight and Brandon set out to walk home to his temporary residence at a nearby hotel. I implied to Ric that I was staying out of it but intrigued by this hot kid, I got dressed and went out looking for him. I was too drunk to remember which hotel he was staying at so I eventually gave up trying to find him and drove home.
Ric called me this morning and said "I hope you had fun fucking that slut Brandon." I denied doing anything with him (which is true) but didn't admit that I was thinking about it. I reminded Ric that Brandon was the one flirting with me and I was just being hospitable. He didn't buy this. He asked me two more times if I'd hooked up with him and I got fed up and told him I'm not going to talk about it anymore. What's more, Ric told me that he'd de-friended me on Facebook Tuesday morning in the heat of his anger about my alleged liaison with Brandon. I checked it out and sure enough he had.
So now he thinks I stole his "boyfriend" a kid who admitted he was only having sex with Ric for money (Ric, of course, denies this) and he'll probably not call me back for a while. Frankly, I'm hoping he never calls again. 'Cause, this time, I'm done, baby! I'm over his accusations and petty behavior.
This really is the last straw. This time I mean it.
I eventually broke down in January as it came time to get ready for his promised 50th birthday bash in Key West. Well, of course, that had fallen through. The plans had whittled down to spending a couple days at a Disney resort. And before long that idea was nixed too since none of his friends were ponying up any funds for it. I know I certainly wasn't.
But it did turn out that what we eventually settled for was funded by me...dinner at Olive Garden. And who else did I foot the bill for? Joe, of course. Why would I think Ric would want to have a friendly dinner with just the two of us?
It wasn't long before we were in the routine again of my value in his life being relegated to only an online Civ gaming opponent.
Two nights ago, he called and as I picked up, I got ready to play another game of Civ but he actually invited me to come out with him to his new fav bar Friendly Confines. He was already toasty, but so was I having just guzzled down some gruesome-yet-potent Lime-a-Ritas. So, drunk and lonely, I drove up to Lake Mary, met him at the bar and we played NTN trivia...just like old times. But then things started getting weird...
This guy from South Africa was sitting near us and we were chatting with him but after a few minutes of banter he suddenly got up and left. Ric and I have that effect sometimes. Especially if we're crass and obnoxious. Perhaps we were. I was sucking down pitchers of Miller Lite like it was Kool-Aid.
Then this other dude, looking like a John Lennon-wannabe, came and sat by us. He immediately started acting like we've all been best buds for years and wanted us all to start singing drinking songs. He loudly began the chorus of "Ninety Nine Bottles of Beer" and goaded us on to join in. Ric and I tried to laugh him off but after a couple of minutes of ardent prodding on his part I felt bad for the obvious drunk and began with "I...wanna rock and roll all night...and party every day!" We three were soon loudly belting out the KISS tune together, garnering smirks or scowls from the other patrons, surely looking like quite the near-to-being-cut-off group we surely were.
The dude admitted he was trying to get us all to sing a song together as part of a bet he had with some guys outside, as he pointed to the large window behind us. But no one was there. He tried begging for some of our beer and Ric shut him down. Within a minute or two he forgot all about us, pressed his focus solely to his phone and before long was gone.
Ric then texted his "boy toy" Brandon. We finished our beers, I loaded Ric's bike into my trunk and we headed off to get Brandon to bring him to Ric's for some jaccusi time. Again, just like old times with this new fey twink playing the part formerly filled by Gary.
This kid is either a total free spirit or a complete flake, I haven't figured out which but before long, just like old times, he's playing the flirty Gary role perfectly and he's snuggling up to me in the hot tub. With Ric right there, we're coyly talking about sexual proclivities and before long I'm massaging, then sucking his toes.
Of course, just like old times, this brought up all the old feelings about Gary's "infidelity" and flirting with me. Brandon and Ric had a fight and Brandon set out to walk home to his temporary residence at a nearby hotel. I implied to Ric that I was staying out of it but intrigued by this hot kid, I got dressed and went out looking for him. I was too drunk to remember which hotel he was staying at so I eventually gave up trying to find him and drove home.
Ric called me this morning and said "I hope you had fun fucking that slut Brandon." I denied doing anything with him (which is true) but didn't admit that I was thinking about it. I reminded Ric that Brandon was the one flirting with me and I was just being hospitable. He didn't buy this. He asked me two more times if I'd hooked up with him and I got fed up and told him I'm not going to talk about it anymore. What's more, Ric told me that he'd de-friended me on Facebook Tuesday morning in the heat of his anger about my alleged liaison with Brandon. I checked it out and sure enough he had.
So now he thinks I stole his "boyfriend" a kid who admitted he was only having sex with Ric for money (Ric, of course, denies this) and he'll probably not call me back for a while. Frankly, I'm hoping he never calls again. 'Cause, this time, I'm done, baby! I'm over his accusations and petty behavior.
This really is the last straw. This time I mean it.