I love Portland in the summer.

I have under a month left in this country known as the Republic of Korea. I feel like I'm going through the motions. In my head I'm already back in Portland so allow me to invite you into my head for a brief visit.

Chris's thoughts: Portland Week One:

August 3rd: Arrive into PDX, wait for a few hours until Alex realizes today was the day he is supposed to pick me up. After he finishes his dinner and pours himself another glass of wine he puts on his shoes and looks for his car keys. Anya yells at him in the background while he's searching. The doorbell rings. Toby and I are at the door. Toby was my back-up because everybody knows Alex cannot be trusted. Anya let's us both in and offers us something to drink. Anya and I exchange hugs. Alex searches his mental vault of lies for a suitable one but it's too late. I punch him in his ugly face and kick him square in the balls. I feel better. Toby laughs while drinking his beer. Alex falls to the ground in pain. I will sleep good tonight. I email some people back in Korea to let them know I made it back alive. I have a glass of wine with my friends.

August 4th: I wake up confused as to where I am. I look out the window, not a Korean in site. I must be home. I force Alex to make me breakfast, which is more like lunch do to the time. I flirt with Anya over a sandwich and try to convince her to leave Alex. After I finish my meal I get into my car and prepare to visit some old friends. My car won't start. The battery is dead, which is fine because I have a flat tire. Alex fucked my car up and Toby didn't have a chance to fix it yet. I walk back into the house and punch Alex in his ugly face again. This time I don't kick him in the balls, he's my friend after all. I call Monica to see if she's home. She is. I left all my crap in her garage because she my friend and one of the most dependable people I know. She's a great friend and an even better human being. Alex drops me off at her place later in the day. We catch up. We play cribbage. I beat her 5 games to nothing. She has not gotten better since I've been away. I separate things that I'm giving away and getting rid of and the things I want to keep. I'm not keeping much. My taste has changed. I don't need the things I used to. I'm glad to be home. We make plans for later in the week. I think about calling Teresa but Teresa said she doesn't want to deal with me until I've been home for a week. I send her a mean email later tonight. I call Juniper. I'm subletting her place for the next month and a half or so. I'm tired. We talk and we make plans to go over rental arrangements tomorrow and have dinner. I love her. We are similar in annoying ways. Perhaps she's my sister from another life time? I sleep at Al's house one more night. Toby stops by. We drink beer, we make plans for the weekend. We wait for Alex to leave the room. We make plans to kill Alex one day, Anya is in the room when we make these plans. She doesn't say anything.

August 5th: Wake up. Excited. I have a date with an angel this morning. Luna will be giving me a massage at 10:30. I've been waiting for her magic touch almost two years. She is the best. A mixture of Goddess and masseuse. Her touch heals my aching soul along with my aching muscles. I make plans to have another massage three weeks later. She's a good soul. I get a salad at my favourite salad place. I send Teresa another mean email. "Maybe you won't see me at all while I'm back then" I press send and then smile. Teresa's great and I'm excited to see her but I'll wait her required week. She will get at least one sarcastic mean email from me every six hours however. I send some more emails to Korea. My car is fixed. I can drive. I forgot how but that doesn't stop me. Perhaps I should get insurance? Maybe later. I go to the gym. I buy a membership. Things are looking up. I move what's left of my stuff from Monica's garage into Juniper's place. I play cribbage with Juniper. Unlike Monica, she is good at the game. She beats me, but barely. I curse her name under my breath. I'm tired. I look for a new cell phone. I'm not sure how long I'll stay in the U.S. so I decide to get cricket. I pay by the month. I hate cell phones but they sure are handy. I call Alex, when he answers I hang up. My phone works. I'm tired. I go to bed at Juniper's which is for the time being my place.

August 6th: I'm awoken to the sounds of hippy chit chat. Juniper's friends have stopped by looking for her. They offer me tea. I don't drink tea. I say thank you. Juniper and I have plans to eat dinner. It will be healthy and full of nuts and beans I'm sure. I won't lose to her in cribbage again! I drive my car illegally all over Portland. I'm wasting gas and I don't care. I make a mental note of what has changed and what has stayed the same. I have to go to the Gorge sometime soon. I miss the sound of its silence. I miss its smell. I get back home. I need to buy food. I email a quick insult to Teresa. I call Monica. We talk. I call Alex and hang up on him again. He doesn't have my number yet. I won't give it to him for at least another week. I eat a very healthy meal with Juniper. I'm tired. I go to sleep.

August 7th: Awwww shit it's Friday! I'm too old to think like that but I don't have a job and it is Friday. I go to the gym. I get another salad. I think about what kind of job I want to have. I think about how long I'll stay. I have to buy tickets to Michigan for September. I have to buy tickets to L.A. after that. I take a deep breath. I've got time. "Enjoy the ride Chris" I think to myself. Teresa is supposed to take me out to sushi. I buy the alcohol and she buys the raw fish. I don't want to wait til next week for sushi. Korean sushi is not good. I send Teresa another email. This time it's nice. I present different reasons why it's a good idea for us to have sushi tonight. I'll wait and see. I stop by Monica's house to play cribbage and shoot the shit. I stop by Toby's apartment to hang out. He's still dirty. He doesn't know how to clean up after himself. I remember the mouse the used to live in our house when we lived together. I wonder which one of us will actually kill Alex. We'll have to draw straws for the honor. Alex is demanding money from me for keeping my car at his place so I drive over there and bring him a check. It's for one dollar. It say "fuck you" in the subject line. I drop it in his mail box and leave. I check my email Teresa has plans tonight, she's a woman of her word. I guess I'm waiting til next week for sushi. Juniper's busy tonight. She's very popular. Monica has plans with her friends. Toby is Toby and Alex wants me to leave the country again. I've been back for five days and I'm alone on a Friday night. I've got other friends to call but I don't. I've got time. I take a long walk up to Mt. Tabor Park. It's getting dark. I walk to the top and look down on the city. I love Portland in the summer!