141. A casual date turned business venture
I was asked out on a date with one of the most American-looking, most American-sounding, and most American-fullbodied tourist I have ever come across. I couldn't believe it. I told my friends to call him Chicago DJ. During the pub crawl, (where I met him), he told me that he used to be a DJ all throughout his twenties, until he had to get a "big boy job" (his words, not mine) at age 28.
To begin with- I hate everything about Chicago DJ (CD). I hate how incredibly American he is. I hate how he talks about cryptocurrency and day-trading like it's a game you do every single day. I hate how lazy he is (he never likes to take the train at all or walk. He just ubers everywhere). I hate how he drinks excessively. I hate how he thinks about life (pretty superficially), I hate how callous and shallow he talks to others.
Why did I decide to hang out with him? I don't know- curiosity and the need to feel a little bit American, back to my roots I guess. It was a simple reason, but it was a bad reason.
As we walked on the sidewalk, my 'date' was telling me about how he met this other American guy at a bar the other night. The guy he met is by definition, a wook. CD likes people of this genre. I have no opinion, they're just living life. Although, sometimes I find them a bit strange.
CD was telling me about how he and Wook Guy (WG) struck up a conversation about two nights ago. WG is starting up some artist hub community business organization. He also does some custom jewelry work. The two American gentlemen decided to set up a meeting the next day. It seems like CD might be on board in helping them do the backend and SEO for the company... They were going to have the meeting after we had our 'outing'1.
CD was telling me about WG and his wife, who had grown up in Bali, Indonesia. They had all met at a club and told me in lengths about the "good vibes" and "great conversation" that the Americans were having. As we were having a walk down the street, and he asked me about my opinion of KL.
I said something along the lines of:
"I absolutely love KL. I love how something happens every day."
As I uttered those words and Wook Guy and his wife had seemingly spawned out of nowhere. We were walking along the same road and I heard a strong American accent just whip out of the blue. I took one long look at this guy and knew immediately- by the way he was dressed, by his long hair, by his American swagger, his shoes (you can really tell where someone's from by their footwear) this was our Wook Guy. His wife was strolling right next to him with really cool cargo pants and many gemstone accessories. I thought she was very interesting and quite tall. I found out later that she is from Moscow, but spent the last years of her high school in Bali, Indonesia. I could not detect much of a Russian accent since she's been away from her hometown for so long.
After that chance encounter, this "date" segued into a business meeting. There were 3 foreigners with me and I ended up being the unofficial tour guide for Chinatown. I took them to a terrace bar that I've been to before.
Unfortunately, I was super ill. I felt so terrible with my constant cough that I had to go to the doctor's. I ended up on antibiotics for the week, so on that night, I was on day 3 of antibiotics. I did not drink. CD was also sick, but nearly not touching death like I was.
Since I wasn't drinking any alcohol, the guys just bought me a bunch of Schweppes2. Everyone else was tipsy, I talked to WG a lot and entertained him with my travel stories. He had similar stories as me as well. While the wife left for the restroom, WG told me that his wife is really into Japanese culture. When she returned, I greeted her and spoke Japanese, we got along well. I wanted to win these guys over to be honest.
I took CD to the side and apologized if I were "stepping on anyone's toes" during this 'date turned business meeting'. He said it was not a problem.
"You know how it is... that's just how sharks swim" he gave me a reassuring nod, like I was supposed to know what the hell that means.
I liked the conversations about jewelry and metalworking. I liked the wife's passion for Japanese and Russian literature. CD didn't have a clue about metallurgy or Murakami and Nabokov. It seems like had the upper hand.
As the night went on, I was getting quite tired. I still had some energy to take everyone out though. After the terrace bar, I received a text message from my bar-owner friend. She told me to go to a bar downtown because there's a Latin night. I asked the group if they wanted to go and they were delighted to move locations.
I simply like being a tour guide.
We hailed a car and made our way down to the city center. WG was in the front passenger seat and noticed that our driver was checking his crypto stocks while driving us. Everyone was rowdy and chatty in the car. It was quite annoying.
We got to the bar and there was a wonderful live band parked right at the front. I was served another Schweppes Ginger Ale. Everyone got outrageously drunk at this bar, but the atmosphere was lively and made me want to groove. I tried to get CD to dance with me. He's Latino, but he could not stay on rhythm. I was horrified, but still continued to try to teach him the basics of salsa. The wife really wanted to go clubbing, so I asked them if they wanted to transfer locations again. They cheered as we made our way down the road. I took them to my friend's bar (hehe).
A couple of minutes before, I texted my bar-owner friend to prepare for our arrival. I requested for shots right when we reached the bar. We were greeted with three vodka shots and warm smiles from the staff. I greeted the Spanish girl volunteer barback who I had met before. She was entertaining a group of uncles at the table next to us. I think she really wanted to get out of that conversation, so the Americans roped her into our group for a little bit. My social battery was running out, CD was being drunk and delirious, and I buried my nose into my phone. I told them to drink more.
The group was sufficiently wasted. I think I was a successful tour guide/pub crawl host for the night. They wanted to dance. I led them to the other Latin Club down the street. It was nearing 1 AM and I was exhausted. It was too loud. We can only hear one person beside us. I was alone with CD and I asked him if he wanted to go watch a movie. There was no romantic intention behind that request, I always invite friends to watch a film back at my place (I should stop inviting people like this. They think that it means something differently, of course). He said yes and I headed into the dance floor with the wife as I waited for the car I called for.
The wife and I were the only ones dancing on a Thursday night at 1AM. Another girl joined us. She was from South Africa, but I couldn't hear her name because of the loud music, but got other details from her. Apparently, she came to KL with a travel romance (wow!) and she pointed to the grumpy tall European looking guy across the room. He looked so cross and was so upset for some reason.
Our conversation went like this:
Me: a travel romance, huh?
South African Girl: Yes, and he's so mad at me.
Me: What for?
SAG: I told him that I loved him.
Me: why the hell would he be mad at you for that?
She shrugged. I told her, "come join my friends to the clubbing district and ditch this bastard." Then, I left the club with CD. I hoped that the girl joined the group for a more fun night out.
When we reached my place, I invited him in and set up the movie projector. He was quite close to me. I sat back down and he put his arm around me, but I was a little hesitant. I asked him if this were a date- he just shrugged. I needed clarification.
I told him: "I don't want a relationship... (with you!!!)
He understood. He told me that he wasn't looking for anything serious or anything. Good. I asked him when was his last relationship- 6 months ago. Good. But then - he said that he was staying in Malaysia for a while. That changed things. Basically, I told him that I don't want this to be a callous and superficial thing- we can make it into a "business partners with benefits" thing. He agreed. The thought of texting someone: "Let's touch base later" for a booty call, sounds hilarious to me.
He left the next day. He said some weird things. I was too tired to throw him out. That day, I had to do a couple of errands. As we walked outside of the apartment, I pointed out the train station for him, and went about my day.
~ a mixer of business and pleasure,
<3 K
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