Thursday, 12/09/04 - 11:45 pm.
Well, tonight was the presentation of my book, at some restaurant that's much more than a restaurant, because there are books and performances every night and paintings.
I was calm the whole day. I sent Joseph text messages, about things I've already said here. He didn't call back, so I wasn't sure he got them. He must have. I also studied for the final on saturday, and talked to that guy, Mario. I think he has a crush on me, or something, because he's tells me things about my cute smile and all. But again, he could also just be nice.
I told Rod this afternoon about the presentation, feeling guilty for not telling him about it. Feeling guilty for not telling anybody, actually. You know how I was mad at a few people on saturday? Well, I felt sorry about that, too. "I'm not much of a spotlight person, you know?", I said. Aw, you are for many of us, dude, Rod said. God, I almost made a huge mistake, by not sharing this with them. But I did. Thank God I had the chance.
Anyway, I had dinner by myself (well, with Frog) and at 6:30 I took off with my parents and sister to the restaurant. The owner of the restaurant is a great guy, very kind and talented (poet, painter). Whatever I had, it'd be free.
People started to arrive. My uncle and cousin, friends of my parents, Art, Cel, Vic, Victor, Irene, Rod, and Norman (who I was never sure if he'd gotten the e-mail with the invitation, but he had).
The man who was going to present the book was the one who wrote the prologue. He was very excited, and even was wearing a tux. There was another guy who was going to read, and even had brought along a guitar player. He said I had to read something, so I accepted my fate.
The real deal: someone introduced me and the Prologue Man. So the Prologue Man talked about my book, how refreshing to have someone so young writing, that I sounded much older...that it a great piece of art and whatnot.
I had to talk, ok? So I only thanked everybody for showing up, and read beware of the gramatically correct nights. I had to make a huge effort not to laugh.
Then the man with the man with the guitar appeared and read more stories. And the man with the guitar sang a song that later Victor and I considered wicked (it's an in-joke, that comes from our readings about Jacques Lacan).
I saw flashes everywhere, and people asked me questions. Of course, what I was expecting. My answers were that I decided to do it after reading John Lennon's books, and that my biggest inspiration comes from the newspapers (people laughed, I don't quite get why) and that I never felt like writing poetry.
Cel got up and read the story she likes the most. And said a few words about me, how I always rather keep everything to myself, but lucky for everybody, not this time. She cried, you know? Fuck. She said she was so happy. Art gave me a letter, and Vic gave me an empty roll of pills (?).
After the talking, the Prologue Man said it was the end, and I sighed with relief. Then I signed books and spend time with all the people who'd shown up. I thanked them wholeheartedly for that. Even my favorite cousins came (they're the one I've always gotten along the best because of our ages), and they live so far away.
The owner offered me something to eat and to drink, "on the house". I asked for a cheesecake and a soda. He's so nice. I can't thank him enough for the chance and the space and the support. He said he loved my book.
It was 9:40, and everybody had left by now, it was only my sister, my parents and I. It was a common agreement that it was a success. I got nothing but compliments, that I should keep it up, that I'm so creative, that this and that, and thank you very much.
So far, I thought the most intense part of the night had been me on stage. But as I was getting up to leave with my family, Joseph and his best friend were coming in.
I inmediately got up and my sister asked more crowd?, meaning that more friends of mine showed up. As I was leaving the table I heard my dad it's her boyfriend.
I stood in front of him, after waving at his best friend, who's, by the way, a wonderful soul. I looked Joseph in the eye, and I thanked him for coming, feeling so happy.
The cops got me, he said. They were going to deport me (he's from Mexico). I stared at him, thinking at first...I didn't exactly think "it's my fault", because I thought he wasn't even going to show up...but I thought that happened because he was coming to see me. Cops always follow him, because of the way he looks. And it doesn't help that he always carries knives.
He greeted my family, my parents and sister. They were nice to each other. Then Joseph, his friend and I sat and a table, and he told me all about the cops. It seems like they were following him for a while, and he'd have been deported if the mother of a friend hadn't shown up. The cops took away his knife and gave him a notice to go pick it up some place. I won't, he said. Keep this paper, and he handed it to me. I read it, it contained the description of the knife.
We talked for about 20 minutes, about that, about the mexican soap operas he watched (he's such a girl, I've said that), and how everything worked out for me. They can't deport you, anyway, his friend said. And he went on, stating the reasons. Joseph had in his backpack all the applications for the university. It proves you exist, his friend said. And as last resource, I could marry him *cough*
No, really.
We might go out on monday, you know? I may also go to his house on saturday afternoon. He wants me to meet his parents. We have to talk it over, but just the fact that he took all the trouble to get there, to see me, makes me hopeful that he may not break up with me.
At around 10, they left, and so did my family. Ask them if they need a ride, my sister and mother and father said to me. By the time we got to the parking lot, they were so far away my dad had to whistle. The street was empty, and Joseph ran back and crossed it back to meet me. What is it?, he asked. Would you like a ride?. He said thank you, "but we're going to a bar, you know? Plus, we like to walk. We'll make it safely. If it isn't cops, we can fight just about everything". We kissed and he crossed the street again and went on with his friend.
I came home, I found in my inbox the pictures that Norm took, and I realized I sold about 12 books. Well, I didn't. I was busy "socializin'".
I'm tired, but I'm happy. It was a wonderful experience, even if I was embarrased most of the time. Everybody said it was a beautiful book, very fun, very ironic.
But seriously, the best part was that Joseph showed up.
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