Dinner

 Our weather has been rainy and mild. No complaints from me. Sam and I went to dinner Saturday night. We went to Green Lantern because we lacked any other choice. The place was not busy. Most people were celebrating the holiday season with family.

Sam was in an argumentative mood. No matter what topic I introduced, she had something negative to say. Sam would consider me no fun when we hang out, but I feed off the other's energy. We had a fantastic time laughing and joking when Gia and I were together. Despite Gia's walls, she is a joy to be around. Sam is too bitter and tired from working.

Sam wanted to shop at the outdoor mall after dinner, but I declined. I could not take more of her negativity. I am going to dinner with Sam and her sisters tonight. I hope she is in a better mood. Luckily, the place is close to my condo, and I will drive separately. 

Speaking of Gia, she and I are still texting back and forth regularly. Just playful interactions and gifs. I intend to keep the conversation going for as long as she allows. Absence may make the heart grow fonder.

Tempus Fugit

I have ignored the holiday spirit this year. Christmas holds nothing positive for me except an extended vacation from the stresses of work. My time with Gia didn't help. We had so much fun together. It leaves me wishing I could find someone similar.

I gave the twins their presents yesterday. They spent the night, and I took them back to their duplex and helped Twin B set up the TV I purchased for him. Max is coming over today. I made plans with Sam to go to dinner with her and her family on Saturday and have plans to take the twins to see my brothers the day after Christmas. I am not looking forward to any of it.

So, the year is winding down with a sputter. 2024 is a daunting number. Tempus Fugit. 

What we lost here is something better left alone
Second steps been forgotten, will you tell me how they go
Set yourself, situate, like a fool try again
There's no one around you can remember being good, for you so...Shame, Matchbox 20

Parting Ways

Thinking back, I did meet Gia at the clubs once before the night we hit it off. It was later in the evening on a weekend. I was getting ready to leave, and Gia started conversing with me. I remember her helping me put on my glasses. She probably thought I was drunk because I was tired and fumbling. Needless to say, she was not impressed by me that night.

I met Gia in Royal Oak this afternoon to give her a copy of The Untethered Soul and a copy of my book. I told her she needed to read the former but could skip the latter. "I don't want anything you read in there to change your opinion of me."

"I'm not like that," she assured me. 

"There are still so many conversations I want to have with you, Gia."

"I have to get to the airport."

"I know. If someone invited me to visit the parks in Tampa, I might consider it." Gia is thinking about working in Florida next. "Maybe, drive up from my buddy's condo in Fort Meyers."

"I have to figure out what I am doing next."

We hugged and held an awkward stare before parting ways. There were so many things I still wanted to tell her. So many unexplored possibilities.

It's left me feeling down. I meet few people, and even less, that truly captivate me. I hope I have left even half the impression she has on me.

Chipping Away

 Side note: I only made it to Monday before getting called into meetings.

Thursday was my last official work day. I head to the club later that evening to see Gia. Flight Club has been slow. So slow, Gia has decided to head back to Rhode Island on Wednesday. The club was slow, and Gia spent most of her time with me. I am infatuated with her. Gia is smart, pretty, and funny. Gia also has higher walls built up around her than Fort Knox, despite that we have a great time together.

There is no need to overthink her motives. She is honest, and judging from her stories, even her past relationships had difficulty getting close to her, though she wouldn't see it that way. I posted a quote once. Paraphrased, it said we are attacked by people who trigger us. A girl from Rhode Island with serious avoidance issues that would describe my mother.

Sunday, we had plans to meet at the Rust Belt in Ferndale. It is an indoor collection of small shops. The weather was rainy and miserable. Parking was tricky due to the congestion of holiday shoppers, but we both managed to find spots. I met Gia at the entrance, and we strolled around. 

Gia wore a kit cap and a full-length puffy down jacket. Both were burgundy colored. I tried enticing her into getting a hoody or T-shirt to remember her time in Detroit, but Gia. indicated she did shop for clothes. Gia then unzipped her full-length coat just enough to reveal she wasn't wearing anything beneath it and went into how she hates to do laundry while traveling. We both laughed. I found it both hilarious and sexy at the same time. 

I call her a zebra with bull horns because she is unique but hides in plain sight and is as stubborn as a bull. The only store that piqued her interest was the health food store. Where she bought some supplements. 

We sat at the bar and ate lunch at Bobcat Bonnies. Gia doesn't have a problem with public displays of affection when we are out. She let me put my arm around her while we walked the shops. She rested her head on my shoulder while we sat at the bar and waited for food. She didn't pull away when I stroked her bare leg when it peaked out from beneath her jacket at the bar. The whole time, we talked, laughed, and joked.

Sunday night, I went back to the club to see her. I didn't want the day to end, and I knew she would be flying back to Rhode Island and she wouldn't be coming back anytime soon. Sunday was another slow night in the club. We spent the five hours in the back room, with just a few bathroom breaks. The bartender thought I left without cashing out. 

She wore only a thong, but it wasn't sexual. She stretched out across my lap, and I would stroke her midriff or her butt, depending on her position. We talked about music, books, and anecdotes from her club experiences, and she opened up more about her last relationship. Gia had everything in Florida: a big house, a nice car, and a joint business. She ran away from it all. 

We had so much fun in that little curtained-off room with its uncomfortable black vinyl couch. Each time her name was called for her turn on stage, I would ask her if she wanted to go or if she wanted to stay. She would say she wanted to stay each time, and I would pay to have her skipped. 

"I have to bring a chisel just to break down your walls," I tell her.

"You brought a chisel?"

"Honey, what have you been feeling in my pants?"

This conversation led to more ridiculous jokes. It has been a long time since I made someone laugh so much and hard by just being me. It felt like I was chipping away at her walls. If only I had a little more time.

We said our goodbyes in the back. We hugged each other close and kissed me twice on the cheek. 

"If you ever get back to Detroit, you better call me the minute your feet touch the ground," I tell her.

"I will," she assures me. "It has just got to make sense." Gia means financial sense-- stubborn.

 I am seeing her one last time tomorrow. We are meeting in Royal Oak again before she heads to the airport. I bought her a copy of The Untethered Soul. I told her she must work on those walls and let someone in. Don't we all.

 

Vacation Begins

Tomorrow is my last official day of work for 2023. I have been counting down the days. I plan to do a three-day fast during my first week of vacation. I also have a 90-minute massage scheduled for next Tuesday. I have a date with Gia planned for Sunday, and I still have some shopping with the twins next week.

I don't plan anything for the holidays, but I prefer that. I am building a few Lego models and plan on making custom creations during the break. It sounds like an ideal time off and well deserved. I plan to coax Gia out another day or two during the holidays. That will be a hard sell, but I have yet to give up on the challenge.

Like most of my posts lately, this was written in segments. I have just said my goodbyes for the year, cleaned off my desk, and set my away message to start tomorrow. I will try creating some more in-depth posts during my vacation. Time to get back to writing. 

Gia

 Gia is back in town for a few weeks. I went to see her at the club Thursday night. She is a lot of fun. We met for lunch again on Sunday in Royal Oak. We went to the Emory. Gia showed up wearing a knit cap and a light sweat jacket. She gave me a hug before sitting across from me. Our conversation flows when we are together. I can get her to laugh.

Let's take things Gia has told me at face value:

Gia is thirty-six, and she looks really good for her age.

Gia was living in Florida but left a bad relationship suddenly. (Escape in the middle of the night terrible). I suspect this happened recently-- around August. Her license plate says Florida. 

She is from the East Coast, Rhode Island (her accent comes out occasionally).

Gia is trying to make as much money as possible. She feels she is old and is working against time. She is, but she looks more attractive than most of the girls at the club, and she is a better hustler. 

She has been dancing since nineteen and indicated she once owned rental properties. She doesn't drink and doesn't seem to use drugs.

When she makes a date to get lunch with me, she keeps it, regardless of whether she is tired or busy. 

Gia doesn't seem interested in me, but it is hard to tell she is guarded. She continues to make plans with me. She plans on taking off Friday, December 22. She doesn't expect anything when we get together, and when I suggest coming to see her at the club, she says I don't have to.

I asked her to go on a road trip with me to Zion in March, and she said she is interested but needs to work. I suggested we figure that part out, and she said she would consider it.

I don't know what to make of her. I like hanging out with her. She is funny and playful. I don't understand her motivations. Part of me likes the mystery, but the other part tends to overthink everything.

End Of Year Snapshot

 In homage to Sarah H. at Death Wears Diamond Jewelry, who is no longer blogging but is missed.

Listening… Podcasts like Morbid (true crime and ghost stories). Find Your Alpha (YouTube channel that reads stories of infidelity).

Reading… Nothing currently on my reading list. 

Watching…I am rewatching Gilmore Girls on Netflix. I like the show and its quick dialogue. It has many seasons, so I don't have to find anything soon.

Playing … I have been playing Wordscapes on my phone. 

Hoping… I am replacing Eva (who didn't work out) with Gia, who may work out. I am hoping to spend more time with Gia.

Buying… Christmas presents for the boys. They are all I shop for.

Loving... I only have to come into the office 5 more times this year. I need a break.

Planning…  I have several Lego sets to build over the Holiday break.

Missing… My pseudo-fourth child, Tinkerbell, she has been distancing herself lately.