[FingerLakes]

thank god for this episode reminding me of something I needed to jot down/discuss somewhere.

I was at my [straight] friend's place for a BBQ a few weeks back. There's a guy in my friend group who likes to be the center of attention and tell stories and make jokes, a role I usually take, so I decided to stop fighting him for attention and stop talking over each other and let him have the light. It's gets me less angry and he usually says something so fucking dumb that I end up laughing at him and feeling smarter anyway.

So at this BBQ there's 3 straight dudes and I decide to be quiet and let them lead the entire discussion.
We talk about the food and how to cook it for about 10 minutes then there's silence. After everyone sips some more beer the guy who likes the spotlight gets some very deep conversations going.

A -"Anyone ever get afraid to stand next to the grill? I mean there's a large can of gas next to a fire. THAT can't be good. heheh"
B-"lol yeah"
C- "No way. that canister is made to withstand X amount of heat. W'e'll be fine."
A-"I dunno..."
C- "Actually, a propane tank can withstand some pretty high tempretures. In college, when I joined this frat, they made the new kids try to blow one up in the woods. We started a fire and put the tank on it and ran like 100 yards."
Everyone - "wow!" me - "lolwtf why?"

-Silence-

A "i mean that's gotta be a big explosion. Even 100 yards away the shrapnel and debris would get you right?" Is there someone way to design the canister to explode in a way that it wouldn't have shrapnel? I mean there HAS to be. Just gotta get someone to invest in it"

-Silence-

A- "OK but what about the cable that connects to the grill tho? what if that gets cut? I mean i guess there's some covering on it..."


-Silence-

A- "So, C, you do a lot of biking now? I mean you bike right? How's that"
C- "oh biking is terrible in the city. There are just too many cars."
A- "YEAH MAN, too many cars! Especially in the city. I mean it must be easier in brooklyn....Do you bike in the city"
C- "I try not to. its crazy just going across town.
A- "Yeah. how fast do you go? I mean do you stop at lights or just keep going?"
C-"I obey the laws...when I have to."
A- "Yeah. I know this shortcut to cut across Houston but man I just don't want to get near cars"

More silences peppered slow sips of shitty beer and completely asinine, meaningless, emotionless chit chat. I felt like I was watching a science experiment.