Room #104 and Neighbor Damon – Part 6

Just because a man buys you drinks does that entitle him to more?
August and September

One evening a few weeks later, I met a friend for dinner in Hollywood, and it just so happened that Damon’s company was having an event at a nearby club. He called me up and invited me to come, but I declined. “Well, do you think you could give me a ride home?” He went on to explain that his company had picked him up in a limo and he didn’t have his car. I didn’t think it was a big deal – the club was 10 minutes from the restaurant, and we live just a few blocks from one another in Venice, so I agreed. It seemed harmless.

I picked him up from the party, and as we got to the intersection of La Brea and Venice, about halfway home, he realized he left his keys at the club.

“What do you want to do?” I asked. I was frustrated, tired and just wanted to be home.

“I’ll call and have one of the workers from my office drive the van over and bring my keys. I know exactly where they are.”

Exasperated, I pull into the gas station under a lamppost. I was tired and wanted to be home and I was in no mood to be with him. We were there for only a couple of minutes when a police car pulled in. Since I’d been drinking at dinner, I moved the car to another section of the gas station lot. I didn’t want our loitering to draw any undue attention.

He got freaked out and shouted, “Why did you do that?”

“Well I’ve been drinking, the police are sitting right there, and I think its weird that we’re just sitting here in the car at the gas station. I mean it’s LA and crazy stuff goes on here – it looks conspicuous.”

We had a huge argument, which was par for the course. Everything with him was an argument – from buying me drinks to going on a date with him. I’m not an argumentative person, and I found it very manipulative of him. I was spending time with this man I didn’t even like, just to avoid an argument.

He continues to e-mail me and call a few times a month. I do not return his calls and am very short in e-mails with him. I respond once for every five or six emails I receive. A typical exchange goes something like this:

From: notDamonsemail@whatever.com 7:40 PM
Hi…
Damon

From: notDamonsemail@whatever.com 8:44 PM
Hey,
How’s it going?

From: notDamonsemail@whatever.com 8:48 PM
Just working…and you?
Moved to Venice
Damon

From: notDamonsemail@whatever.com 8:57 PM
Wanna meet for a drink at Za Zen?
Damon (phone number)

From: me@me.com 8:59 PM
I will be out of town till May 1.

From: notDamonsemail@whatever.com 9:00 PM
Where u going?
-D

From: notDamonsemail@whatever.com 9:13 PM
Guess not, huh.
-D

To be continued…