Once upon a time last week, I met a young, good-looking hippie - Bryan (with a Y he said, stemming from British nobility). Bryan pan-handles in front of the Starbucks around the corner from my office. I was on my break, on my way to meet a friend for lunch. Like many others roaming the San Francisco streets, Bryan also flaunted a double-sided cardboard sign. The side facing me said, "I bet you a dollar you're reading this sign. " I thought it was clever and saw some humor in it. However, I was NOT gonna give homeboy a dollar - hells to the NO! So, when I walked past him and smiled and he asked me if I read the sign, I said "Nope. " He asked me to please read it, again I said, "Nope." He asked me why, I said I just didn't feel like it (and I always do what I want). He laughed and said, "fair enough."
Since I was meeting my friend outside of Starbucks (or so I thought), I stayed talking with him. We talked for a bit. He said it was his birthday (January 5th). I wished him a happy birthday and asked his age. He said 27. Instant bond! I'm turning 27 in 3 months and it's always nice to meet a fellow ager. I said I hoped 27 treated him well, because that's what I also wanted for myself since 26 and 2009 weren't exactly the high times of my life. He said that no, 27 was our rock star year and promised it would be amazing. I had NO idea why it would be our rock star year and he went on to explain that many of musics' greatest died at 27, including Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain. Works for me (the rock star year part, not the dying at 27 bit)! My rock star year on an even number year - awesome! I'm partial to even numbers but have the misfortune to be all odd digits - 3/25/1983. Kinda sucks. But at least I'm an Aries. I look forward to even number ages and even number years, though I will never be an even age on an even year. Oh well...
Anyways, we talked some more about ages, we discussed my zodiac sign and its awesomeness, he told me how he had a twin brother and how he is no longer here. He also has a sister who shares their birthday, but he doesn't like sharing their special date with her. He's from New Mexico but prefers San Francisco, where he and his twin hitch-hiked to for the first time at 13. We talked a lot. He also got me to read the sign. I laughed and said I'd check for a dollar. He said no, he couldn't take anything from me, that we had a normal conversation. I did offer to get him a birthday treat (cookie or cake). I love sweets, they're not cheese or bread, but still damn good. I felt like it was getting late and finally realized my friend had been waiting for me inside Starbucks - ooopps... The gift of gab, I'm telling you.
I said my good-byes and off to lunch I went. On my way back, I stopped for some birthday cake - triple chocolate something. It was good. We talked some more and he said that his birthday would be wonderful if he could take me to dinner. I accepted.
He pulled out his blackberry and gave his number. This is where it gets complicated. I returned to the office and related my encounter to my coworkers. However, they weren't as unsuspecting as me. I heard everything from "How do you know it was his birthday? Did you check his i.d.?" to "Oh, I bet poor Maria gave him her whole paycheck!" Then I started thinking - am I too trusting? But, why would he lie about his birthday or everything else he said? He didn't get anything from me, he didn't want anything from me. I gave him my friendship and he gave me his, but did he have ulterior motives? I didn't, so why would he? What do I have that he could possibly want? I gave him a slice of cake - for his birthday! I like cake on my birthday. Okay, I like cake everyday, but still...
After a back and forth with a trusted friend who said that although "it's important that you see good in people but perhaps more important that you operate with the understanding that there are people with ill intentions and don't let your desire to see good jeopardize your safety. I'm not sure it's a good idea you go to dinner with this guy when you don't know really who he is or what his deal is. Besides, if he's hanging out on the street, does he have money to pay and what is he up to anyway? Perhaps he's a sweet sage but I'd be cautious," I decided that in the end, it's better safe than sorry. However, I felt guilty for flaking -- did it make me a hypocrite? Would I have maybe NOT listened if he had a different social standing? Or did I only talk to him because he is "safe" in the sense that I could never really give him a chance? Maybe he was my frog prince. Then again, maybe he was just another frog...
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