This town ain't big enough for the two of us.

It's official: I'm blogging from work. Next thing you know I'll be myspacing from work, and I'll have downloaded AIM on my work computer...Maybe not. Blogging is writing and writing is also work, albeit not the kind of work they're paying me for here. But I'm the only one currently in the office, and everything I have lined up to do this afternoon involves the same copy machine that's currently printing 300 copies of an 18-page handbook. Incidentally, I was telling my boss about Secretary earlier today, and although she's a little wary of the S&M aspect of it, she wants to borrow it from me. She also asked if I picked up any good tips - you know, learned from this movie. The answer is no. Not about being a secretary anyway.

Back to the point I hadn't started making yet. Last night, I went out to dinner with some friends - we called it a double date, but really it was one gay couple and one mostly-straight pair of teenyboppers - to a Chinese restaurant that has "meat" options (vegans: you can't take them anywhere). I'd had this sinking feeling all day that I was going to run into someone I knew there, because there just aren't that many vegan-friendly Chinese restaurants around, and everyone likes the novelty of tofu that really does taste just like ham.

Sure enough, when we were about halfway through our meal, talking about how awkward it was when Amanda & I went to this party with a bunch of Rocky people a few weeks ago. Then I saw two of Piano Man's friends come in. Speaking of awkward...

Ok, so I kind of stared the one guy down, half to make sure it was him, but also to say "I know you know what happened, and I'm back whether he likes it or not". Then they smiled, came over and started talking to us, or, should I say, mostly to the people who weren't me.

I was: embarrassed, vindictive, self-righteous, guilty, angry, haughty, traumatized - you name it - but I tried not to let it show too much. Still, a little awkwardness hung in the air. I'd like to think that it would've been worse if it'd been Piano Man himself that was there, but I think, in a way, that would've been more gratifying, because it would've ended in words, or tears, or fisticuffs, or someone getting a cup of green tea (for lack of a cocktail) thrown in his face. Even more exciting if Mrs. Piano Man had showed up too. What can I say? I'm a sucker for drama, and this is going to have to come to a head eventually.

But let's just say this: Round 1 is over. It seems to have been a draw. But it was only his friends - just a preliminary - and there will be a Round 2. Like I've said so many times before, this town just ain't big enough for the two of us.