Evolutionary Socialization.

We’ve been a foursome for a few years now, but it’s fascinating to watch the dynamics of us change. I met Erik when I was a Junior and he was a sophomore in High School, in Brady’s intro to programming class. I met Cliff later that year during a fire drill. I’m just drawn to people with hair, thinking they can somehow relate to me. And Dan? Whether he realizes it or not, I remember him from boy scouts. His other brother was in it with me, and I remember little Danny off in the corner. I think I have three years on him, the youngin of the group, the last to graduate.

There was the six of us during lunch, senior year. Martino, Erik, The Jew, Trent, Cliff, and I. Pity I didn’t start eating with them until halfway through the year. Then I graduated. As Erik tells me, our school got really shitty after I graduated. Our sports teams randomly had a good year, which completely fucked with the balance of power. Instead of being a school of losers, Mount Olive became a school of .. jocks. wtf? Whatever.

On a side note, I was completely disappointed by the lack of violence in my High School. I never, ever felt threatened at all. I expected to be threated on a daily basis! Never happened. There were random idiots here and there, but nothing violent. Fights rarely broke out; there were more fights in the middle school! Fucking suburbia, gotta love it.

As the story goes, Cliff and I were talking online one night. November 2001. I remember. The day before Thanksgiving. We were bitching about how we never get out. So we had the revelation that we should hang out together. We saw Shallow Hal that night, and then ate at Chi-Chi’s.

As the socialization continued, Cliff suggested we find Dan. Then he suggested we find Erik. At the time, I didn’t really want much to do with Erik. I couldn’t relate to him. But as long as Cliff was around, I didn’t mind. First year of college, I was very motivated to seek them out. Because I was VERY LONELY. Same with second year, and third year. Though, as the years passed, the three of them got their licenses. (Cliff doesn’t drive me, and Dan lost his license a while ago. Though, I can count on Erik to drive.)

I’ve seen Cliff go through a lot of girlfriends. I’ve not seen Dan go through a lot of girls. That is, he’s gone through girls, I’ve just never seen them. I’ve seen Erik be Erik despite being horridly depressed. I’ve seen him go from being the one that didn’t want to joke about odd things, to being completely comfortable with those things.

Point is, I didn’t start hanging out with Erik without Cliff being around until a couple months ago. After the Paige fiasco, I lived at Cliff’s for two weeks. I remember I kept to myself for about a month straight, horridly depressed. Cliff and Erik visited me once. As they later described to me, they were very energetic and ready to do shit. And after seeing me, they lost all will to do anything. *laughs*

A few two months ago, I remember writing an entry about our reunion. It had be a long time since the four of us had been together.

For whatever reason, Cliff has made himself scarce at times these past few months. I remember the day Erik and I got out of work and sought out Cliff. We couldn’t find him. We had a revelation, “Fuck him, we can hang out without him!” *laughs*

I remember the night I met Liz. The first Dan girlfriend I’ve ever met. She was quiet and pensive, but otherwise fit in. Getting a feel for us. The second time I saw her, I said something far ruder than anything I’ve ever said to anybody in my life. She felt like I wasn’t accepting her as one of us.

Liz and I were talking in her car once, reflecting on the aftermath of that. She admited that she tends to become good friends with those people she instantly hates. See, she drove to Cliff’s house to seek Dan out. She saw me in the window and refused to come inside. *laughs*

Obviously, I’ve won her over. And now it’s very clear she’s accepted as one of us. Erik and I hang out with Liz (without Dan being around) all the time. Ashley even likes Liz, even though she’s being very anti-female right now. Hard to believe Ashley and Erik have been together for eleven months now. Partly feels like a short time, yet it also feels like they just belong together. They’re a fantastic couple.

I like being around Ashley. She’s expressed how she’s missed being around “men”. So I’ve taken to befriending her. We all should know by now how much I need a benign feminine presence in my life. Liz and Ashley are filling that niche rather nicely now.

Bob, one of our new managers, called me this morning. I said no. *laughs* Second time I’ve said no. I slept in and changed my bedsheets for the first time this year. I cashed my paycheck and got a new pen. Then I waited for Melissa to call me. (She did.) We again expressed how we’re mutually keeping our distance from each other. Believe it or not, we are. I haven’t been calling her, and I haven’t been bothering her much to hang out. She doesn’t want to hurt me, and I sure don’t want her to hurt me. So things will stay as they are.

It’s so obvious why I’m never home. There’s nothing to do here. I’m either working, socializing, or sleeping. This is one of the few moments where I’m online-ing. I think I’ve had my fill. I think I’ll go show my friends my new pen. It’s sexy.