Friday, September 17, 1993

3:00PM

I stayed with these two guys, Todd and Alan last night. I didn’t go to sleep until 2AM, but I didn’t mind staying with those guys. I had a rough night sleeping on their floor, but I almost didn’t mind. I was glad to be out of my room for a night. I heard Michael and his friends come back from partying before I went to sleep. They were completely drunk. But I didn’t even mention how they were in here drinking at 10:30 last night, completely occupying my bed. When they finally left, the room reaked of beer. I didn’t want to come back in here even when they were gone. I finally talked to Gray, my R.A., when he got back around 12:30. He understands my problem. He said he’d look into what my options are today.

But after being mildly inconvenienced by at least five things just in the ten minutes I’ve been back here this afternoon, I’m convinced that no dialogue is going to solve these problems. I must bend down so as not to knock the phone from Michael’s loft. The wire extends across the room. Since he got his ass drunk last night, he’s been sleeping, so I can’t put on the TV or stereo. There was a pizza carton on the chair of my desk. Okay- that’s only three things. Whatever. The point is that I can’t live here anymore.

Michael went somewhere a couple of minutes ago. I don’t know where, but I’m sure he’ll be back. I could talk to him sometime before tonight, I suppose, but I just don’t know what to say. I think I’ll just have to wait until I find out from Glen what my options are. Oh, one more gripe. I always find my fan turned towards the window when I come back. I don’t understand why. If Michael doesn’t want it on, why doesn’t he just shut it off? I come back to this room after being at classes all day, and I feel like I’m intruding upon his sleep. Of course, I feel like he’s intruding on my whenever I’m doing anything, and he comes back to the room. That’s just how I feel, and I can’t help it, even if it sounds selfish. It’s just that I can’t see me feeling this way if my roommate were someone else…

12:40AM

Kumar,

Fuck you if you think I’m in the mood to write poetic verse about my life. I don’t have only good things to report. The Susan situation is on the back burner while she is in New Jersey. I talked to her both Wed. and Thurs. nights, and she was glad I had called. She’s listening to my top 100! And right now, I’m making her a tape.

But the immediate problem is my roommate Michael. I’ve had enough. And it’s felt so good to tell whatever friends I’ve made how much I can’t stand Michael. I’m glad I told my R.A. about my problems with him too. I won’t go listing my problems with Michael now. I’m sick of talking about him, but he’s my big problem now. I want out of this room, but I don’t know if that will be possible.

When I got back to my room a little while ago, I hadn’t been in here since around 4:00. I only saw my roommate for about thirty minutes ago. I get disgusted just being around him. I went to a radio station thing tonight and read and edited some news for the news director. I should have my own little spot doing a news update once a week. Then I met a couple of girls from my dorm to see “The Crying Game” at the student center. It was free. And now I’m back. It was so nice to come back to the room and not find my stuff out of place for a change or have the room reak of alcohol. I just hope my roommate doesn’t come back for awhile so I can be at peace for a little while.

My dad is coming up tomorrow, and I’m looking forward to that. And that’s about it for now.

I’m glad things are going well with Shalini. Don’t be afraid to send
flowers or something else bold.

Susan has a poster of Life’s Little Instructions and I think it’s great.

We share so many of the same beliefs and insights.

I’m going to go work on my tape 38 for Susan. (It just so happens that it resembles tape 37 for Kirsten, but no one has to know that.)

Later, stud. Dave

[e-mail that I just sent to Kumar in response to what I received from him today.]

Anyway, that pretty much sums things up. One positive thing about me deciding that I can’t stand rooming with Michael has been that I no longer am getting down on myself for not fitting in, because Michael and his friends are group that I want nothing to do. I’ve got friends here. Of course, I’ll move away from them if I have to…