Day 123 - Last Mustang!

Ooo-la-la, Koko Black

August 8th, 2015

Today is my catchup day! I have the daytime free, and the evening booked for my last hurrah outing. There were plans to meet with Aussie Peter and Dean, but one didn’t respond, and the other post-poned. I pounded the keyboard all day, catching up on the work I had been slacking on. There is a very real difference in my productivity, how clearly I think, and how good I feel between now and when I was eating mostly meat and vegetables. Very, very real. Surreal.

I have ramen for dinner, as well as fermented milk drink and some yogurt. The antibiotics have finally run out, and it’s time to repopulate my gut flora. At least, that sounds like a good idea if I only know for certain how to go about doing it.

Round two

A few hours of the work today, by the way, has been dedicated to getting at Yuzu’s old landlord. The more I look into this snake, the shadier he seems. First name only, “Eddie.” No business name, no business number, no website. I can’t even issue a formal complaint without at least some of that information, and he seems to just be screwing foreigners over again and again. I called him, pretending to be looking for a place to stay, and collected the addresses of a couple of his other properties. With enough properties, maybe I can figure out which company actually owns them. All I need is the business name or Australian Business Number (ABN) and this guy will probably get a fairly big headache. The residents are afraid to help me, or have moved out and can’t be bothered to look back. Good thing I can still issue a complaint electronically when I leave the country. Going to nail this guy.

Chocolate Alchemy...?

I meet Shimou at Koko Blacks for dessert with her two friends. They’re 45 minutes late, leaving me and Shimou to enjoy some desserts, just the two of us. Never get the mousse there. Mousse is not worth it, you can totally just make it. Bei and Sarah arrive, talking about an actuary assignment they have for a class. I tell them what I think, which they seem to appreciate, and prompts them to ask me what I studied. No one ever suspects Psychology. The conversation descends into pure mandarin, leaving me to strain to hear them and understand the odd word that’s tossed about. They ask about our relationship and if we’re dating, and Shimou responds, both of which I mostly understand. Seemingly trying to catch me off guard, Sarah then immediately turns to me and asks if we're in a relationship. I could have been more tactful, but instead I said “she just told you the answer,” gesturing to Shimou. I then played dancing monkey by reciting phrases in mandarin, though not conventional ones. “I’ve eaten people,” and “I am a dog,” were among the phrases. Time was running out, we said our goodbyes and caught the BlueCAT to Mustang.

Ahh, Mustang. It’s been some time since I’ve come here. On the bus to the bar, I had said to Shimou that I didn’t know how long I wanted to stay for. This is my way of setting up an "out." I don’t want to go, and the intimidation from the bar is creeping in. Yes, this happens nearly every time I intend to go out. And yet again, once in the bar, I’m quite comfortable. I start dancing stupidly and practicing what I should start calling “The Empty Room.” I pretend no one else is in the room except the people I interact with. I mean, I’m leaving in a couple days, who gives a shit if they think I look stupid? Why don't I apply this practice to more circumstances?

Italian Alberto and Taiwanese Sandra

Shimou has had two glasses of wine, and is working on her third while I am still on my first cider. I told her I would make sure she got home, but that I also don’t want to leave by 11. Italian Alberto shows up, one of the guys I met through Laurens’ share house. I’m glad he came! He’s funny, considerate, and nice to have around. His job sucks and isn't giving him enough hours, so he has to jump town soon, also. He compliments my Adventure Time Günter shirt, which makes me bring up Steven Universe. “I hate Steven” Shimou says. Makes me laugh every time, especially because I swear she hates Steven because I ignore her while watching it.

Sandra appears. I’m strongly buzzed at this point. Dancing! I really like this bar, so much fun and the live bands are always good! I point out to Alberto that neither of the girls know many of the very well-known songs that they’re playing. They would know some to hear it, but almost definitely not by name or band. Some Beatles played which they vaguely knew, but only one or two. American Idiot was also played, feels different this far away from home. Never really considered that when it was a big hit.

Aaaand he's alive!

Bobo makes her entrance after work. More dancing! Bobo and Sandra are hilarious, like twins. We dance, joke around, and I keep forgetting to introduce Alberto because I assume he knows them… I know them, so they must all know each other, right?? While we dance, I'm the only one capable* of noticing a massive brawl break out on the dance floor. All I can see is people reacting, bouncers taking action, and fists windmilling. A few minutes later, a man is literally dragged off the dance floor and dropped in front of us. People are freaking out. It’s just a fight, people. Sometimes that means people will fall unconscious! They take care of their business, while I continuing dancing and help the band by singing along. The guy gets up and wanders away. Probably from my singing.

Shimou is gone. I'm getting there. She wants cider, and is going to go buy it. Nooooooo way, uh-uh. The bar has a little rule about paying with debit, and I know she has no cash. If she buys with a card, she has to spend a minimum of $20, which means way more alcohol than she can handle. Depending what you get, 2 drinks is just under $20 (around $19.20) so you have to buy three. One more will put her away. “I'll buy you a drink! Keep dancing!”

Bobo and Sandra are the only ones ready for this

Hey, flapper girls! Wedge myself up to the bar. Two flappers next to me. “What’s the occasion?” it’s a hen’s night; bride-to-be is across the bar. Cool. She asks a few more questions, and seems cool. We keep chatting. Because we’re talking, the bartender is ignoring us. Shimou, impatient, decided to get the drinks herself, seeing me talk to the girl, she gives a look, and goes to a different part of the bar. I ignore it. The chick then starts moving closer, touching my arm, playing with my hair. "I have a girlfriend." Close enough. She has a boyfriend - only been dating for a week. Says she’s having a hard time adjusting to relationship life. Well, then.. Flag down the bartender while the girl tells me that I'm cool. "Thanks, here's your water. Have a good night!"

If I wasn't tipsy, I would have caught the fact that Shimou was going to buy drinks. We now have four drinks, which she is spreading around our group. Good. So long as she doesn't drink them...

Shimou, Me, and Sandra

Continue dancing, and this guy about the same mass as me, but shorter, keeps bumping into me. Plant my feet. His back becomes more and more pressed against mine. I start dancing with my butt to make some space, which gets him to start ramming me with his. I turn to the guy. He looks angry. Suddenly a short, rotund guy. Shorty inserts himself into the situation, replacing the bigger guy. He holds and aggressively hits on me. Tells me that he wants some man meat, and that I only have to say the word and we'll be outta here. Flattered, thank you, but no thank you. “Whenever you're ready. Just tell me when.”

Alberto takes off. That guy is great! I hope to see him again. Continue shaking our booties. Sandra lets loose. She has some great moves! "Holding out on us, I see!" She and Bobo say their goodbye, leaving at 1:30am. I'm good to go, and Shimou is plastered. “I’m going to womit” she says. She has a little trouble with W’s and V’s.

Shit is Bumpin'

I consider taking the train. What a joke. We'd never make. Cabbing it is. The cabbie gave us a barf bag just in case. Back home, I put her to bed, coerce her to drink some water, and make grilled cheese. My God, $7 for a kg of cheese is such a terrible idea. No single person should eat that much cheese within its shelf life. 

Belly full of cheesy bread. I'm out.

*It's across the bar, and everyone else is too short to see