Everything is Awesome #10 : Pleasant surprises and disappointments

In my own neighborhood I don't have much of a social life. At around midnight a few days ago I went to the park to practice guitar. I was sitting right by the park entrance. After about 20 minutes a guy in his mid 20s sat down at the bench next to me.

He was playing with his phone but when I finished he started talking to me. This kind of thing doesn't happen so much in Tokyo unless you are at some sort of drinking establishment. He was a bit quirky but many of my friends are quirky and I enjoyed our conversation so we exchanged contact information.

It felt nice to finally have a friend in my neighborhood so I was feeling good the next day. That is, until he started calling me. He called 6 times. I sent him a message saying I was at work.

"Let's drink tonight?"

Ok, i said. But you will pay for me ok? Uh what? I told him I don't have that much money. He said it's ok, the place is cheap. I said ok, kind of uncomfortable on my way home. He asked what time I could meet, I said 7. But then 4-5 times before 7 he asked me where I was. "Sorry man, i don't really wanna go out tonight". I said to him. "No, you are coming out! Come on."

"Forget this". I thought, and blocked him. I don't have room in my life for people who can't respect others. I'm glad that I respect myself enough to avoid situations I don't want to be in, but sad that I wouldn't have a friend nearby as I had hoped.

It kind of bothered me that night. Why is it so hard to find like minded people here?

The next morning I went to the park to stretch and a 5 year old kid ran up to me, away from his class. He handed me a flower and smiled. Then he ran away.

"Don't talk shit about human nature" i thought. I felt great the rest of the day.