Way East in Book Two: The Fifteenth Year of the Third Millennium of the Common Era

The drive to visit my friend was LOOOOONG. Seriously. 2.5 hours direct east on 80, 1 hour direct north on 35, 1 hour direct east 20. Tooo much time to think and fight sleep!

Finding the house was a but unique. I’d spent loads of my college time in the town but my friend lived on the far outskirts where development was just starting up for the first time in over two decades. Good news for the city! But it meant venturing off the main thoroughfares and following the winding paths of places still being put together. Finally, I found the house and… I was impressed. Two Garage large place with a nice large yard. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a 3 season room, large basement… I was envious. This is the kind of thing I want. Land. A House. Especially a house with more than 3 bedrooms!!

After the tour, straight to business. Which, with this friend, means typically Comic Books, Video Games, or Anime. Almost always Anime. I love the boy but he doesn’t have many friends and honestly has no interest in acquiring friends or romantic companionship. I realize everyone has their own desired level of comfort but I worry that he is lonely. Anyway… we binge watched SHIKI

and drank and ate food his mom had cooked for us just for the occasion. See, that’s the thing. His mom cooked his favorite dishes so that he could share them with me. Even though he has his own house. It leads me to think his mom is worried about him as well in the whole “friends” department.

The next day, we finished the last disc of Hellsing Ultimate (because he’d realized that night that we’d never finished it last year) and then switched to Haganai.

We ate some lunch away from the TV (partially on my recommendation) which allowed me to discuss more of his life with him. We talked about how he got his job, some of his clients, if he is at least liking the new life… really trying to connect. Which was good, he wasn’t resistant, enjoyed talking about things… it is always good to be able to complain to someone about clients. Then back to the Anime. We got through the entire Haganai series. Then, as he wanted to keep up-to-date with his Toonami, we watched that week’s episode of Akame Ga Kill and Parayste.

He wanted to keep going with some other anime or more toonami, but I was quite tired at this point.

The next morning, I woke up easily an hour before he did. I’m betting he stayed up to keep watching Toonami. I took pictures of the house for Wife and watched some James Bond. Then lunch and my departure.

As I left… I thought… I want this.

Physical Desires:
Land and a large house. A pool to stay active in non-joint harming exercise. A house large enough to be the type of Host I was raised to be… rooms for people to sleep should they need to, a place to eat that can seat 20, a large TV and billiards table with a bar. Yes, even though my Wife and I aren’t great at making friends… whenever I have made friends… I love being a party host. LOVE IT and living in this shitty little apartment has prevented me from doing much of that.

Intangible Desires:
A job that I am good at, enjoy, and does something positive for the world
A place in a community where I have some value, friends, and associates
A healthy marriage and maybe some kids