Sunday, July 27, 2014

The End

My friend, who I had told about the ad I posted online and didn't get a response never got back to me. She and I used to talk about everyday or so. I wondered if she was on. She is homeless, lives in her car, (apparently) because she loves the beach and must go there everyday, so she parks her car by the beach front comes bedtime. Who am I to get between someone and the beach? A couple of weeks passed without a word from her, I would call and text, nothing! I got concerned. We don't really know anyone in common, the only way to hear about her was going to have to be from her. After two weeks, I was waiting to use the restroom at the Judge Judy courtroom. I was first in line, out comes this lady who looks like she just woke up from a coma. Her hair was a mess, he pants were halfway up. This woman wasn't ready to get out of the restroom! She walked right past me towards the sink to wash her hands. It was my friend! What in the world! I was like, Spice (we'll call her that. Why not, right?) OMG, hi, are you ok? She said, I'm fine! She kept it moving. I was gobsmacked. I felt like she looked. I think she messed her hair up intentionally to cover her face up cos you can see outside and vice versa  in those toilets. She must have seen. She probably saw me in the courtroom already because I sat in front, we do the whole Catholic church thing of Sitting down and standing up. I was utterly confused as to why my good friend was acting that way. I had no idea what was going on.

On my way back to the courtroom, I saw her fixing herself up and asked if everything was ok, I was worried about her, I had been trying to reach her for weeks. She told me that everything is fine, she was taking some time off from people. After the last text I sent her where I told her I posted an ad online looking for a man FOR HER she though I must have lost my mind. She thought I went Hollywood on her. I was like WHAAATTTTTTTTT? What are you talking about I posted an ad on your behalf? Why on earth would I do that when I am painfully single myself? She told me she didn't know but that's what I told her. After that I called to tell her about my roommate, she said she kept asking about the ad, and I kept ignoring the subject. Listen! I'm a nice enough person that I would try to hook a friend up but I didn't do what she said I did. Like all out conversations, she misunderstood the text. Who misunderstands a text? Like there's no accent in a text, if you don't understand it, you can ask someone else to read it and tell you what they think it means, and someone else and and and.

Who died and made you God, that you are going to break our friendship, that is based on me feeling sorry for your homeless ass, and listening to your long ass stories when we do meet up because you're a sixty year old woman who lives in her car because of her unrequited love for the beach, who has no one to talk to or at least to listen to you but me? Give me a mutha fcking break! This was a one sided friendship anyway but I was doing my part because I have a good heart (own horn tooted) and was doing my part for charity. Literally in this case. Don't come here and tell me you needed a break and you decided to take it. You don't qualify for a break? Please! Especially after misunderstanding my text. Friends don't do that. You're the one who's going all Hollywood on me! What the fck is this? Walking out of a bathroom a mess, trying to disguise to avoid me. Who does that? Most of all in their golden years? I was like, lady, you misunderstood my text, nobody is trying to hook you up! Any normal person would have either texted back or called for an explanation. But it's ok, you can have your break. I almost felt bad that I wasted so my time worrying about this person. I was shocked that SHE of all people thought she was in a position to 'take a break' from a friendship with ME or anyone else for that matter. Everyone feels sorry for her. Btch pls, to the back! Have a seat!

Second week of February, after Jon's sudden moving out and drama, I was busy chatting with everyone I had met through my gazillion ads, including Lenny. Lenny and I talked the most. More than once a day. He wanted me to spend Valentine's weekend with him. I told him I wasn't ready to spend the weekend with anyone I had never met. We could meet somewhere and take it slow like any other relationship. He told me I would have to make the drive to San Diego. He didn't even hint about helping me with gas or anything. Not that if I had a car, I wouldn't afford gas but the sense of entitlement was overwhelming! It was going to be a long as hell train ride to San Diego, somewhere around 5 hours in total. I told him that was just too long. He told me I could make it a one way trip and just move in. Perry and I were still talking. Remember him, the guy I kinda lived with for five minutes in San Diego? Lenny didn't seem to live far from Perry, for a second, I toyed with the idea of making a trip of it; going to see Lenny and then staying at Perry's. Perry and I were talking about meeting up. Not as a couple or anything. That ship has so sailed. Hell, it hasn't only sailed, it sailed and sunk. Never to be heard of again.


I just wanted to get away from the whole Jon drama, that's why I considered Lenny's ridiculous idea of me going all the way to SD to visit him. I was overwhelmed. I wanted to have a nice time and just forget about it all. I told him that I would do it. He was so happy, he told me that I wouldn't regret it blah blah blah.

One of the guys who responded to my ads was another San Diegan or should I say Man Diego, they say that's where all the single guys are at. We'll Call him Daniel. He sent me a nice and long email and a number of pictures. Nice picture, but they seemed like they were taken decades apart. Maybe it was something with the lighting? He never told me his age, he's single, never been married, Italian, no kids, he's lived in the US for more than two decades now but is originally from Italy. I love getting long emails, to me that shows a certain level of seriousness. I responded with a semi-long email and a number of pictures. For some reason my yahoo was nuts, the message with all those pictures went to some dude with a mustache and a potbelly standing next to a tractor. He was so happy, I hadn't even seen his first message, I just saw this uber enthusiastic response, I'm like WTF. Turns out that was the recipient of the pictures. I resent them to Daniel and didn't hear back from him. I was kinda bummed about that. I'd been looking forward to hear back to him.

My Georgian friend in Hollywood, texted me one night and told me that someone was looking for extras for a movie for the following morning. I emailed the guys my pictures etc, and booked the part. Yay! Good looking out, friend! The shoot was first thing in the morning. I had to be there by seven. I didn't know if Jon had made himself copies of my keys before he moved out. I couldn't trust that he wasn't going to come back for more stuff. I was still shaken by what had happened. I called James and asked if I could leave my stuff in his apartment. It was a very valid reason to get a chance to see James. We love James. He agreed. I woke him up so early the following morning, like around 5 and dropped my valuables there before heading for the bus stop. He's so sweet, he offered to drop me off. I couldn't accept that offer. I got there just in time, met some nice people. The film is based in biblical times, we had some interesting outfits on, everybody looked amazing. They have a black Jesus and a guy who looks just like the white Jesus is one of the disciples. That guy is hot.He took pictures with out. Turns out James had auditioned for that part and lost to that Jesus. When I saw that Jesus, I did think about James. James has that Jesus thing too lol. Anyway, it was a ten to twelve hour day, they fed us, we had lots of breaks, of course we weren't in all scenes, so lots of down time to chill with other extras. One of them friends with my Georgian friend, he was the one to tell her about the gig. Apparently Kelly Rowland and Chaka Khan are in that movie, they just weren't in the scenes we shot that day. Dang it, so close to meeting them!

At the end of the day, we changed and headed for the train. I walked there with Georgian's friend. He's from Ghana if I'm not mistaken. He didn't pay to get on the train, We got on the train nicely, next thing I know, I turn around, he's nowhere to be found, I look ahead of me, there's the train security checking tickets. AAAhhhhhh, that's why. But where is he? I didn't have his number, so I texted Georgian and asked her to check if he's fine. Apparently, he had gotten right back off as soon as he saw security, bought a ticket and boarded the next train.
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The night before my trip to San Diego, I got a call from Lenny. He wanted to apologise profusely for he wasn't going to be available that weekend after all. I was like, I BEG YOUR PARDON! This was your idea! You're not going to have a couple of hours to do lunch or dinner? He said, nope! I have a hearing next Thursday that I have to get ready for. He was telling me that on a Thursday. What, are you a prosecutor? Why do you need an entire week to prepare for a case? He told me it was a half a million worth law suit, blah blah blah. I guess he also wanted to emphasise that those are the amounts that he's dealing with. Who gives a hoot?


He went on and on about how sorry he was that he inconvenienced me blah. I was like, let's scratch this one off the list. I'm glad he didn't let me go all the way there only to stand me up. That would have been worse. The following day, Valentine's day, I got a call from Lenny, we talked a little bit, he just wanted to say good morning. He called again that afternoon, stayed on the phone for a while. I thought to myself, this guy sure has time for someone who has a case next Thursday. Before I knew it, guy was like, so, you wanna come over? I'm like, you mean to San Diego?
Lenny: Yeah, I've caught up on my case, I have the rest of the weekend clear
Me: So you want me to come to your house?
Lenny: Of course, where else do you want to go?
Me: To meet up in public as I have mentioned to you before
Lenny:  We can spend the whole weekend in bed making llluuuuurrrrrrvvvvvvveeee

The f*!k!

Me: So you don't have an hour to meet up in public but you have an entire weekend to spend in bed making love?
Lenny: It will be the first weekend of the rest of our lives.
Me: What I am not trying to do is to buy a train ticket, sit on the train for five to six hours taking myself to a man I never met for him to have his way with me -


He wouldn't even let me go on, he hung up. I got so pissed, I called him to give him a piece of my mind, he didn't pick up. He called me that evening and wanted to play nicey nice. I played along for a second and hung up on his ass.

THE END.

















Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Oh Well!

When Rancho went away and gave me the silent treatment, I got the message. I posted a personal ad online. This time, I was more determined than before. I posted an ad in different counties; LA county, San Diego, Orange county etc, probably four or five in total. I remember I texted my friend, and told her what I had done, she didn't reply. I didn't have time to wonder why because emails were flooding in in response to my ads, I was too busy to care. The first day is the busiest then after that, it quietens down, in fact in a matter of hours, it slows down, and you're left with the few people who are more serious. 

A lot of the emails I got this time around were more promising than ever before. I was hopeful that I might just find someone through that process. There was a guy by the name of Josh. Josh was in his late twenties, he was tall - 6'2, and seemed like a nice and quiet guy. We emailed, texted, then talked over the phone. He told me he lives in a motel, he rents a one bedroom apartment type space from them and has two roommates who are a couple. They sleep in the bedroom while he sleeps in uhm, how do I put this in a believable manner? Ok, I'll just say it like it is.. Josh sleeps in a closet. Like, I am the type of person who is going to believe that the apartment is yours, your friends sleep in the main bedroom and you sleep in a small walk in closet full of clothes. Oh and he doesn't have a bed. Well, first of all, a bed wouldn't fit in there, so. Mind you this guy is 6'2 (1.88metres). I couldn't believe that that guy was living that way. I asked him to go on skype and actually show me his space. He took the laptop in there and I saw this small chair like thing that he had made himself and was using as a bed. I had expected to see something that looked like a bed at least. No, it was more like a chair, dude sleeps sitting down. Every single night, he sleeps like that. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for freedom of choice and all that. People should by all means do whatever helps them sleep at night. No pun intended, but this was pretty out there, wouldn't you say? One of the people who replied to my ad was Lenny. He is an older man who told me to move in with him immediately. I was like, slow down, tiger! He said, come on, you know what you want, I know what I want, what's the problem here? We talked back and forth for days. Conversations were nice, it was general stuff, you know when you're getting to know someone? Yeah, nothing out of the ordinary. Lenny said he at least wanted to see me. Apparently, he is an important person, because of his career. More important than, you know, average folks like you and I. He had that vibe about him. He's in real estate. Apparently he has been doing that for the past five years, before that he was whatever, can't remember. Something important. To him. 
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After my argument with Jon, I headed to work. I tried not to think about it. I did get a call from my friend. I told her what was going on but I don't think she got a word of what  I said. She was either not listening or having another conversation on the side with someone else. It's the story of my life; nobody either listens or understand what I say. I turned off my phone and headed to the studio. I didn't have time. I had someone new to get pissed about; the friend who zoned out what I was pouring my heart onto her. Sometimes that's what you need, someone to derail your anger.

I went straight home after the show. It was very late.  The following morning, I had a show in the morning. Don't get me wrong about these shows, I wasn't the star of the shows or anything. I was doing background work. I got up, got ready and headed out, leaving Jon asleep. Just before I left, something said I should check to see if my new laptop from the Queen Latifah show was still there. I had it in a pouch in a shelf right next to my bed. I planned to hide all my valuables when I got home. It was just a feeling I had. After the show, everyone was like why don't we go standby for another show? I am not a fan of standing by. For some reason, I hardly ever get in when I standby. On my way, my agent was like, hey Brook, do you wanna come along and see if they need you at the other show? I thought, why not? I'm getting  a free ride and maybe I will have a better chance of getting in seeing as I am with her.

I waited over there for about an hour before they told us they didn't need us. I headed home. When I got home, my apartment was clean, John had moved out. He left his key on the stand next to my bed, or in between our beds. First thing that came to mind was, MY NEW LAPTOP! The one I use was on the stand, I didn't have to worry about that. I looked where I keep the other laptop and it was gone! He stole it! I looked around the apartment like a fool in case he misplaced it. Like, why would he misplace something that he is not supposed to even use? It was shock! I was blown away that he left the way he did and stole from me. I also checked to see if there was anything else missing. By then, my heart was about to jump right out of my own chest. I could literally cough it out, I was so shocked. The silverware drawer was almost empty, all the spoons and teaspoons were gone and a few other not so valuable things. 

I ran downstairs to the office and told them what happened. There were two ladies in the office when I went to report, the manager and her assistant. The assistant continued to read a book, the manager looked at me, in a lights-on-nobody's-home kind of way. When I was done telling them what happened, crickets! Literally! They had nothing to say! How the fck do you not have anything to say when someone come to you for mercy at a time like that? I was shocked out of my mind, my eyes must have looked like they were about to pop out! Did they care? Meh!

One of them said, call the police! Then...crickets. I was like, (tail in between legs) thanks. Ok then and walked away. That made me wanna break down and cry more than what had just happened in my apartment. I went back to my apartment, got a call from Lenny. I told him what had just happened. He was like, well, call the police! In a more, what are you telling me this for? You want me to buy you a new laptop? B!tch I ain't even met you yet, call the cops, way! I called the police, they were there in no time. They took details, asked if I called Jon. As if this is the more normal thing ever, all I had to do was to call him and he would bring the stuff he stole back. In the words of my ex roommate, Laura (who spent all her time in the closet), ARE YOU JOKING ME! I called Jon, just so I could say, I did. He didn't pick up. The police told me not to worry, they would call him, threaten him and would get the laptop back to me. Piece of cake! I called Julie, she was so shocked and so pissed that that a** hole did that to me, she took his number and called him. That was nice of her. That's what you expect from a friend. To get as pissed as you are when sht like that happens, not someone who zones out. Jon never picked up when Julie called.

I had been expecting the last of my gifts from the Queen Latifah show from last year's Christmas show. this was February already. Lo and behold, I got a knock on the door. It was the delivery man. My parcel had arrived. It was a huge box with a whole lot of snacks, from boxes of chocolate, to popcorn (I know more popcorn), fruit, salmon (Random), Nuts, all kind of nuts, love me some nuts. All this on my most stressful day of the year thus far. What am I going to do about them other than lock myself up in my apartment and stuff my face silly? I couldn't tell you how any of them tasted, I was just chewing and swallowing, chewing and swallowing. Mind you, I had just started with the weight loss program? Oh well!














Tuesday, July 01, 2014

There is a God!

I was very hopeful after my nice date with Rancho. Looks like there might just be a God after all!

Rancho and I continued to stay in contact 24/7, text when he was at work then he wold call me on his way home and we would talk until it was time for him to go to bed. He asked to see me again. He wanted to take me to the movies. I was down! 

I must have seen James one more time after meeting Rancho. Whenever I see him, he tells me he wants to take me out for coffee or something or just a drive around Los Angeles, but that has yet to happen. It's always nice hanging out though. Who would say no to that beauty? Rancho seemed to have an issue with the fact that I had a male roommate. He told me any man would have a problem with that. Even though I told him the guy was gay, he told me that's just me saying that. I would have told him to come over and meet my roommate but, first Jon wasn't going to go for that, he, for some reason wasn't liking Rancho very much; secondly, I wasn't ready to have Rancho come over to my place. If I am telling you my roommate is gay, he's gay. Even if he were straight, that doesn't mean we are doing each other. Why would I put myself out there looking for a man if I had one at home. Jon is a good looking man, nice body, blue eyes, dark hair, just like I like em. He's 6' tall and he dresses well. If he were my man, there is no way, I would be looking for someone else. HE IS GAY therefore I am not his type. 

The following week, Rancho cancelled out date, he had to work, he was working twelve hour shifts, he sometimes drive around all over the place working on computers in their different branches. Between his work and his family, I tell ya, good luck in getting  a minute to meet up with him! One evening, he called as usual on his way home. We talked until he got home. He had just bought a new Blue Ray DVD of something or other. He told me he was about to watch it. He asked if I wanted to join him. I was like I don't know about being in an enclosed space with you like that! He promised it was just about the movie. I was like, sure, why not! I guess I will take my movie date anyway I can get it. 

He picked me up in Hollywood in his late wife's car. Nice SUV.Awkward as heck! I literally could feel his late wife's spirit in that car. He has a nice house too, double storey and all. We went upstairs to the guest bedroom where there are two twin size beds to lay down and watch the movie. I was like, why do we have to go to the bedroom? Apparently, that's where the tv is.  The sofas in the living room, downstairs were covered up in white sheets. I bet you it had been that way since the wife died. He presence was very much still in that house. He told me that he doesn't bring girls to the house. I was the first girl there since the wife. Whatever! That's still not gonna get you into my pants though, boo. It will take much more work than that!

We watched a little bit of the movie and may or may not have fooled around a bit. Nothing hectic happened though, trust me. I'm a nice person but not that nice! After the movie, he took me home. he didn't want to have to drive me to my place in traffic in the morning before driving himself to work in traffic. I got it. He sleep drove all the way to LA, it wasn't cute. I felt bad for him. Especially the fact that he still had to drive himself home asleep. 

He told me he was going to be fine once he got himself a soda. After dropping me off, he went and got himself a soda, then called me on the way home. We talked on the phone until he got home, to ensure he stayed awake. Bluetooth, don't worry, nobody was talking on the phone and driving. It was nice to spend some quality time with him and to see his cute house. I felt like him and I were headed in the right direction. We got along well.

His grandson was about to have a first birthday. He told me he was going to head out of state to celebrate. I hadn't seen him in more than a week, he had been working back to back. I asked him to see me before he left for Texas. He worked non stop until a few days before his trip. We were talking on the phone,  he told me that he had just got home and there was no power. Apparently, they left them notes that afternoon informing them that there would be a power outage than night until early the following morning. He told me that he wasn't a big fan of the dark so he was going to spend the night in a hotel. He asked if I wanted to join him. Ok, the story is a bit far fetched for my liking. You are going to be asleep, first thing the following morning, you will head for work, why do you care if the lights are out? You won't be home that long? Maybe I don't get the fear of the dark. Maybe it was a big deal that he was going to be alone in the house in the dark having lost his wife a year ago. Who knows, maybe she still visits him. What do I know?

I agreed to go to the hotel with him on condition, there was going to be no hanky panky. He agreed. I got him on tape. Haha, just kidding. My phone doesn't have that feature. haha. I took a change of clothes just in case I got booked for a gig the following day. We drove around Hollywood looking for accommodation. We found somewhere not to far from my place. We checked in, rushed to our room. Hung out, watched some telly, talked, made out and went to sleep. He told me that it was going to be the first time without lights without his wife. I felt bad for him. Not THAT bad though. If you know what I mean. Men will use any excuse to get in your pants. Sorry guys, You know I love you but I gotta tell it like it is. I am just not the girl who offers pity sex. Not my style. 

Rancho dropped me off the following morning, then he drove to work. Turned out his workplace isn't that far from where we were staying nor my place. I told him to rent out the house and be my roommate in my studio haha. That's totally feasible. Himself, the dog, the cat and I. Hashtag Perfect family.

He left for Texas a few days late and never called while he was there. He called as soon as he got back. In fact, he texted. Hey, I'm back, what are you up to. BTCh! What! Just kidding. I was like you know you could have kept in touch while you were away too. It's totally normal to do that. Don't act like you didn't leave someone like me behind, and then all of a sudden, hey, I'm back me! Stay in mutha fckn touch, ya hear me? lol I didn't put it that way though. We love Rancho, we don't talk to him that way.

February 2014
Jon, the roommate were still living together in holy matrimony. He paid his rent for February like on the fifth. Granted, he had moved in on January fifth. Even though he committed to taking the place way before that. I didn't ask for the rent. I waited until the fifth, lo and behold, he paid it then. 

One morning, on his way to the dumpster, Jon saw a vacant apartment. Much bigger than ours. He called and told me about it, saying we should move there. First of all, at that point, I was ready to give him notice, to have him out by the end of February. It wasn't working out between him and I. I wasn't trying to move with him to yet another apartment. My apartment was a tad bit smaller than the one he saw. All the apartments in the block were studios, they had Small, Medium (mine) and Large. I was lucky to have signed my lease a week before I moved in, I got to pay last year's rate. Rent went up the following week. Because I went out of my way to buy the bed, new linen and everything for my roommate, I charged him  $50 extra per month for all that. It's nothing compared to what I paid for the stuff but I gathered over time, I will get my money back. Jon didn't have a bed, he has a ton of pillows, maybe a blanket here and there but that's it. 

Before I returned his text about moving to the bigger apartment, he had already gone to the office to get some information about us moving there. They didn't know him, were not aware he was my roommate. I made no secret of it, I didn't didn't go out of my way to introduce him to the people in the office. I didn't see why I would have to. On my way out that afternoon, I got called into the office. They looked me dead in the eye and said, 'we know about the man!' What man? What's going on? 'The man that you have living with you upstairs? You know you have to pay extra for that!' I DO? NOBODY TOLD ME THAT WHEN I MOVED IN!?!?!?!? I specifically asked the manager what the deal was if I were to have someone move in with me, when I signed the lease. She told me, they would just have to sign on the lease, there is an extra part here for an extra person. They never told me I have to pay extra for that. What if I had moved in with my boyfriend, my husband, child, mother, whatever? What would the deal have been then? I didn't get it. I wasn't opposed to paying if I have to, I just wasn't crazy about the fact that they are going to tell me out of the blue like that. Most of all, they act like I was trying to hide Jon. Jon, who has his own keys, he walks in and out as he wishes, HE EVEN HAS A BICYCLE! He walks in, right past the office with his bicycle in hand, parks it in the back, and walks back to the stairs. What are they talking about, we know about the man? Btch pls! 

Jon called again about the move. I told him I was on my way out, we would have to talk about it later. I wish he hadn't been that forward to go to the office himself unless he wanted to move in there by himself. He has bad credit, nobody will rent to him, he will forever be someone's roommate until the day he dies. So why are you going to the office when you are not a tenant here? You are my tenant, I told you I would talk to the guys in the office when you told me this the first time. You couldn't wait? As If you have the credit to get approved for an apartment! Seriously, I was just not in the mood! 

That night, I told him that they want me to pay an extra $50 for double occupancy, therefore him and I were going to split it. Inasmuch as I didn't know about it when I had him move it, it never would have been a problem if he hadn't been forwards, so either you pay it yourself, or we split it up. He had been there for two months, so we had to pay $100. I told him I would pay for one of the two months. He was livid. He went on about how he knows that I am duping him. How much am I paying? Why is he paying more than me. BECAUSE BTCH, I TOLD YOU HOW MUCH I WANTED FOR RENT, AND YOU AGREED. YOU COULD HAVE TAKEN IT OR LEFT IT. Nobody held a gun to your head. The fck? The btch in him came out, the guy went on and on and on and on. I was on my way out to another job. I told him, I was done with that conversation. Unlike him who had told me he had a job but is always in that dog on apartment, I actually had somewhere to be. He was like, BROOK! BROOK! BROOOOOKKKKKKKKK! I am still talking to you! Where are you going? Brooookkkkk. I told him  I wasn't going to stick around and be yelled at by him in my own apartment. Him and I could talk about that later on when he had calmed down. Or not at all, I could care less. I walked away furious. I was just so overwhelmed. He called me all kinds of names, telling me I am a crook, what was he expecting from someone from Nigeria. People did warn him about Nigerians...