Lost In Pacific Time

I needed to get out of the house. I was ruining my eyes with all the hours I was spending on Youtube watching Milan fight. He sure fought a lot. I thought that since he made the NHL he’d be more careful with his body, but I guess not. I remember at one of the Giants’ games he had three fights. I remember because the seats he got me were right next to the home teams’ penalty box. I spent all three fight majors staring at him in awe while he tried to tune out my stare which wasn’t very successful, so he just gave up and stared back at me with a faux glare until the end of each of his five minute intervals. I liked it when we would just stare at each other. Even though we were separated by an inch of Plexiglas our eye contact gave me the same sense of privacy as when we first kissed on the Granville Bridge.

I decided I needed to get out of the house for some retail therapy and there was no better place for it than Beverly Hills. I parked my car in the underground parking lot at the Ambrosia Li Interior Design Offices and made my way down North Beverly Drive. I knew where I wanted to go: Tiffany & Co.

The only jewels nicer than the ones a man buys you are the ones you buy yourself. I thought to myself as I entered Tiffany & Co. But it wouldn’t hurt for a man to buy me a diamond a big giant rock to wear on my finger with no strings attached. I’m not looking to get married possibly ever especially not to myself I think as I walk past a giant ten carat diamond ring in the display case. I probably couldn’t afford it either considering that it has that “Please consult sales associate for price” sign next to the ring that sign is basically code for “only ask if you are seriously considering it”. It is beautiful however, I’m sure not every girl wants a giant diamonds. I should want it considering how status symbols are my thing but all it does is remind me how I used to be awestruck by the Tiffany & Co store when it opened up in Vancouver. I was too nervous to even set foot in that store and now I’m walking around the Beverly Hills store, which is a hundred times fancier, like I own the place. I’m the only single person inside the store everyone else is in pairs. Everyone else is crowded around the engagement rings,

“Hi, can I help you?” asked a perky sales lady.

I was about to say “no thank you” like I did whenever someone asked me if I needed help but after taking a look around I realized that Tiffany’s wasn’t exactly a singles friendly place. I ever display case there was at least one heat shaped item. I figure I would need her help navigating the jewelry.

“I’m looking for a gift.” I say playing with the silver engraved bangle on my wrist. Greg designed it himself and the address to our design firm was engraved in the bangle using his signature rounded writing. He jokingly said that if I ever got lost people would know where to return me.

“For who?”

“For myself,” I replied, I wished I could make it sound like I didn’t need a man but it sounded more like I couldn’t get a man and was buying myself jewelry to make me feel better about myself but like everything else I was reading too into it. The girl probably didn’t even care who I was buying as long I bought something and she got her commission.

“So what are you looking for?” she asks with a smile plastered on her face.

“Umm… its more like what I’m not looking for. I’m not looking for hearts or something gimmicky. I’m looking a glamorous necklace.”

The woman smiled “I think we should go look at the diamonds and pearls.” She suggested walking over to the other display cases.

I followed her and as soon as picked up the pearl necklace I knew I had to have it. I could wear it with everything in my closet; I could wear it to dinner at a fancy restaurant or at work. It had eight strands of fresh water pearls braided together to form a chocker-type necklace. “I’ll take it,” I say as the sales lady puts the necklace on the table.

“Oh,” she says kind of shocked “would you like to try it on first?” she asked.

I guess that would be a pretty good idea “Sure,” I reply and the sales lady leans over the counter to put the necklace on me. She holds out a mirror and I think I love the necklace even more. It gives my simple Ella Moss pink striped cowl neck tank top and Lucky Brand jeans a more refined look. It’s perfect.

“I’ll take it,” I say taking the necklace off and handing it to the sales lady. She puts the necklace into their signature blue box and I hand her my American Express Card.

I’ve been walking around for a while now, mostly at Barneys New York down the block from Tiffany’s. Barneys was one of the largest department stores I had ever seen. The first time I drove past I thought the five story sandstone building was a hotel. Who knew that behind those doors was every girl’s dream closet. I had spent a pretty penny at Barneys on various pieces of clothing, a couple new tops, two pairs of Vince jeans, and tan Alexander Wang sweater. I tried to justify these purchases by buying some stuff for work such as jewelry boxes, vases, and candle sticks. After browsing and buying a couple of handbags on the main floor, I was hungry so I went to the in-store restaurant, Barney’s Greengrass on the very top floor. I munched on a Chicken Cranberry Salad as I watched the cars drive down Rodeo. Everyone in this town was so fancy, everyone on the patio was wearing sunglasses so anyone of them could be an A-lister incognito.

I finished my salad and carried my bags back to my car. When I got home I basically just spent the rest of my day back on Youtube. Sad but true.
______

“I don’t understand Milan, we’ve been together for three years surely we can work through this.” Britney says. She’s sitting on the opposite side of the dining room table eating a plate of spinach and grilled chicken.

“Don’t you understand? I cheated on you.” It should be easier to convince a girl that you’re not good enough for her. I imagined if I ever told Amber I cheated on her I’d start seeing tears and she’d be pissed off as hell. She’d be all like “Milan, I can’t believe you would take advantage of my trust like that. Especially after I’ve done nothing but wait up for you to come home.” God, I missed Amber.

“And I forgive you, now let’s move on.” Britney says “I can’t wait. In two days you and I can finally move out of your parents and into our new home.”

“Britney, we need to focus.” I say, following her into the kitchen.

“Why does it matter? It didn’t mean anything did it?” she says turning to face me.

“I don’t know about you, but I find cheating inexcusable.” I pause and try to gauge her reaction. Her head is down and she looks slightly guilty. I can’t believe it. “You cheated on me!” immediately I grab one of Britney’s fancy suitcases from the closet.

“Milan, it only happened once. It didn’t even matter. I’m here with you aren’t I? And I love you.” She replies, I’ve seen the look far too often from when she asked if she could move with me to Boston to asking me if I’d ever thought of getting my nose fixed.

“How long ago was it?” I have my head in my hands. I hate arguing, I wish she would’ve just packed her bags and said her witty one liner as she slammed the door on her way out. Now it seems like we’re on some sort of soap opera.

“It was when we first moved here. You were on a one week road trip and I was hearing all these horror stories from the wives and girlfriends. We had never talked about boundaries before you left. I just assumed that you were always seeing other girls behind my back but it turns out you weren’t. I’m sorry Milan.” She says.

“Britney, why would our relationship be any different from anyone else’s? I think you need to leave.” I say handing her suitcase to her and leaving her in my room.

“Milan, I think you and I know what this is really about.” Britney says folding her clothes and putting them into the suitcase.

“What is it about, Britney?” I ask from the living room, I have my laptop balanced on the arm rest of the couch and I’m on the Air Canada website.

“Now that you’ve won the cup you think you’re too good to be in a relationship with me. You want to live it up. I understand Milan, I’m giving you a hall pass for this summer but by the end of the summer I can guarantee you’ll come back and I’ll be here for you.” She says packing the last of her things. I however had other ideas.

I hand her the boarding pass I printed out from the computer. “I’ll call you a cab to the airport. Your flight to Vancouver leaves in two hours.” I try my hardest to be apathetic I don’t want to see how torn up I am by her. Within the past two weeks I’ve fallen in love again with my high school sweetheart, found out she was gay, cheated on my girlfriend, and broke off the longest relationship I’ve ever had. Life was one hell of a roller coaster.

After the cab left. I went to bed early. I had a busy day tomorrow, I had to clean out my locker at TD Gardens and the catch an afternoon flight to Vancouver.