Thursday, June 23
Well, yesterday was cool. Total fluke, meeting Mike like that. Haven't seen him in ages, and emailing people just isn't the same as actually talking to them. Talked to him tons yesterday, though. He showed me all around New York, bits of it anyway.
I realized yesterday just how much I hate cities. I know I've lived in a city my whole life, but Edmonton's not really all that big. Hundred thousand people or so, that's all. New York, man, this place just goes on forever. I need some space. Apartments, like some of them are nice and all, but they're all so close together. No backyards, no front lawns. Well, sure in some of the really expensive houses, but nowhere else. How can people stand it?
We're going climbing this afternoon, like we used to back at camp. Nick's grumping, of course. He doesn't like sports like climbing very much. He's really good at it, though. No, he likes basketball and soccer way better. It's the camaraderie, or something. But he'll come, cause he has to, and anyway, the only other thing for him to do would be supervise the working renovating the consulate. And that's so exciting, I'm sure.
Mike's blowing off school to come, of course. He's already been accepted to Columbia, anyway, so it's not a big deal. His parent's probably aren't going to like it, though. They have this thing for education. Well, what's he going to learn at this point in time? I'm surprised he's not out of school already. I thought he got out at the beginning of June. Maybe it's different in the private system. But shouldn't his exams be done, anyway? I don't know. It's not like it matters.
Later Thursday
So tomorrow's my last day of freedom. After that, I'm stuck with Mia.
Urgh. She's an idiot, really. I mean, I've only met her once, and only
for a couple of minutes, yes, but still. I don't like her. Thanks Mom,
thanks a lot. Hawaii would have been way nicer.
The people were still renovating when I got back to the consulate after climbing, so Nick and I went out to dinner. It was actually pretty nice. He talked to some 'family friends', and they recommended a good restaurant. It's kinda weird. You don't normally expect the mob to act as a concierge, but they do a lot of that for us.
I hate to admit it, but he looked really good in the suit (Armani, of
course) that he wore. Like, really good. Okay, he looks really good all
the time, but I can't go around noticing it, can I? I mean, I'm stuck with
the guy just about 24/7. And he's my bodyguard, anyway. I'm not supposed
to get emotionally attached. Not that I am. But the potential's there.
I'm not going to, of course. I mean, serious problems would be just the
beginning. Besides, I'm like a little sister to him. And he's like a big
brother to me. You just don't have that kind of relationship with someone
then go on to that other stuff. It's probably pretty awkward.
Whoa, I just reread that. I'm way too emotionally attached already.
I guess I gotta stop thinking of him as a friend and more as an employee.
But I can't do that, can I? I mean, it's not like it would be fun to be
stuck with him if I couldn't at least get on with him. And maybe that's
part of why I've got him. Maybe my father actually thought of me, for once,
when he picked Nick out. Nah.
Anyway, the restaurant was pretty sweet. I really hate those restaurants where everything's done up in a sorta faux-Victorian style. Like, they're totally tacky. And they're very rarely accurate. Excuse me, but fleur-de-lis and paintings (bad fakes) of Queen Victoria do not go with reproductions of bits of the Bayou. Besides none of them being from the same time period and country simultaneously, I mean. And the paintings of Bavarian castles? No. I hate the brocade curtains, too. And those red carpets with the fancy designs in a wine red. Stylized and tacky.
This one wasn't like that, though. It was more modern, and done in a kind of Mediterranean idea. Not with olives and stuff everywhere, but in light summery colors. Not many decorations, but it didn't look Spartan either. Really nice, and fancy without being hopelessly elegant and stuck up. And the food… never really liked Grecian food before, but this was superb. We'll be going back, I think. I had Nick thank his contact. I mean, 'family friend'.
Though I suppose the people in the mob are sort of 'family friends' to the Samsons. Sorta. Not really. Employees. But if you say that, I guess people ask what sort of business you have. Which they'd probably rather not explain. So I guess 'family friend' works. Whatever.
