Barleycorn

About a year ago I met up with "Barleycorn" at a frat-like bar in the city, named John Barleycorn. It's a horrible place if you're over 21. It's loud and dirty and I truly believe you have to be in some sort of fraternity or sorority to go there. Why then would I go there? Because a boy asked me to, duh, and I was stupid enough to go. 

I've known "Barleycorn" for years. We started our careers together and he was in my same training class. I never liked him in training. He was loud, obnoxious and partied all the time. We were fresh out of college so it's to be expected but there was just something about him that I found very annoying so I avoided starting up any intellectual conversation. He was however, pretty cute in that spiky hair frat-boy way which I noted...and then ignored. He moved to the city and I stayed in the burbs so I didn't see him for years. About a year and a half ago I ran into him. We were both in new roles at the company and he needed my assistance which I quickly gave him. I remember him saying "we have to hang out more." 

I met him for lunch and we had a great time catching up. He also paid the bill which was a total surprise but a nice gesture. After a few months of running into each other and catching up he invited me out to meet him at Barleycorn. "How bad can this be?" I thought. So I grabbed my group of girls (who were not too thrilled BTW) and headed over there. 

Everything seemed normal. "Barleycorn" found me and started talking to me away from my group of girls for 20 minutes or so. I was already cautious with him because he seemed like he changed a lot since we first met. He was now sober and more mature but something was a little off. I remember expressing this to one of my close friends at the time. Maybe this is why I went there in the first place, to try and get closer to figuring him out. After about 20 minutes it all clicked. 

"Barleycorn" leaned into me and said "Hey! Do you see that girl sitting behind you at that table with the two guys?" I looked over completely confused as his question literally came out of nowhere. I noticed a girl in fact sitting with two guys, one of which was sitting next to her. I said "Yeah, what about it?" And he asks me "Well, do you think that guy she's sitting with is a friend or boyfriend?" Honestly what the fuck do I care and why is he asking me?? So I said "uh, I have no idea, I think it's just her friend." He then proclaims that he's going to go over there and try to talk to her. This was the point that it clicked. Stupid people hang out in stupid bars. I excused myself immediately from this hot mess and grabbed my girls and left. I also apologized profusely for even making them go in the first place. 

So that was weird right?? It gets better. About a month later I randomly got 3 homemade CD's delivered to my desk from "Barleycorn." And then just last month (after I haven't seen or heard from him in forever) I get an email requesting my help with something. I helped him and then got a reply back saying "Thanks Babe. Have a good holiday, we need to get together soon." Babe? really??