So, by now you know that I was kissed by another guy at a party back in high school. He didn't make any mention of it after the fact, and remained quite distant for the rest of our years in high school. The idea of running into him again was always in my mind. From what I'd heard, he was living in New York City.
Lo and behold, I saw him yesterday, having lunch at Cosi with the rest of the masses. It was his meal -- pepperoni thin-crust pizza -- that really gave him away. At first I thought it might have just looked like him, but once I saw the pizza (pepperoni and thin-crust being his favorites) I knew that it was the genuine article.
I walked over, said his name. He looked up, his eyes widened, then a smile spread across his face.
"Holy shit," he said. "How long has it been?"
"Almost ten years now," I said. "May I?"
I took a seat on the chair opposite his, and we talked for as long as our respective lunch breaks permitted. He was working in a stressful though high-paying field, and for the most part enjoys it. For a moment I figured him for a corporate type -- but no, he had in fact gone backpacking in India this past summer.
"So, what happened to you after high school?" he asked.
I chuckled, wondered if I should make a whore joke for the hell of it, just to see his reaction. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on one's view, I kept my answers pretty standard. Went to school in Miami. Stayed down there for a bit. Moved to New York City when I was ready for something new.
"I miss Miami, but New York isn't half bad," I said. "Besides, having my girlfriend here helps matters, too."
Then, it happened: a flicker of the eyes, a brief flash of recognition across his face. Yes, he knew that I remembered our last encounter. I didn't mention Simone as a way to proclaim my heterosexuality. In all honesty, the mention of her just kind of slipped out.
"Right," he said. "Well, I'm glad to hear your happy."
"Are you seeing anyone?"
"Not at the moment, no. Work and everything... I just don't have the time."
"I understand that one, believe me," I said. "Been there, done that."
We exchanged contact information, and I'll admit right here, right now that I friended him on Facebook -- a request he accepted. I'm sure he was browsing through the contents of my life just as I was browsing through his. Curiosity and even borderline voyeurism in other people's lives is perfectly natural from what I understand about human behavior.
He's a good guy. Handsome, well-educated, employed in a competitive field. Come to think of it, Adam might enjoy him a lot. Then again, perhaps not -- Adam is still escorting, after all. Though I'm pleased to announce that he'll be traveling to New York City over Thanksgiving. So get ready, everyone. The adventures of Julian are bound to continue!
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