“Oh Ace, I want to introduce you to my friend So-and-So! He’s great people! I just know you two guys will really like each other and will really hit it off!!”
I’ve told my friend, oh, at least a DOZEN times: “Listen I’m a very reclusive person. I’m not comfortable around most people. And I DON’T want to meet any new people.”
And I certainly don’t want to meet any of the people he introduces me to. They’re invariably street ne’er-do-wells. The very people I go out of my way to avoid
“Oh. OK,” he says. “I understand.” Momentary comprehension. That lasts until the next time he sees me.
So I was just hanging out by myself on a bench in People’s Park. And here he comes. With his latest new friend in tow.
“Oh Ace do you know my friend So-and-So? He’s a great guy. And blah blah blah.”
Followed by the usual, awkward, uncomfortable exchange.
Then my friend asks me: “Do you have any cigarettes?”
“No. I quit after Hate Man died.”
“Oh man I gotta get some smokes. So here’s what I’m gonna do. I’ll leave my guitar here with you guys. And you guys can hang here while I go to 7-11.”
So it isn’t bad enough that he’s forced this total stranger on me. Now he’s dumping him on me.
“Uh, no, I gotta get up and catch the second half of the Jazz game,” I lied. I hurriedly gulped down the rest of my beer, put on my shoes and split. And I felt bad. Because I could tell the guy felt rejected. Because I WAS rejecting him. Which is exactly why I’ve told my friend, oh, at least a dozen times NOT to put me in these situations in the first place.
But it’s something I learned about human nature over the years. We never learn. We got these engrained basic characteristics. That make the same mistakes. Over and over. Until we die.
With rare exceptions.
.
.
Acid Heroes 