Day 23. A Touch Of Class

As we drove to the gym we were given the finger. Or ‘Flicked the Bird’ as it is known out here. I was in actual fact quite happy with this, it makes it authentic in the sense that you see this in movies all the time, but I had now experienced it in real life. We flicked the birdie back and that’s it, everyone gets on with their day. It is like a brief and small moment of weakness on both parties, but once the initial anger has been shown it boils down just as quick. I expected an argument as we pulled side by side, but he smiled at us. Not in a condescending way, a more ‘what a lovely day, good morning fellas’ way. It’s quite nice that things are over with as quickly as they started. Either that or he was very short sighted.

After the gym we thought we would just take advantage of the scorching heat that the sun has been giving out in the last few days. Where better to do it than the beach. But before we left I notice this sign that hangs near our block of flats.

Venice beach, that edgy ‘we could get robbed on the beach’ feeling adds excitement. It’s actually not like that at all, and is very social. Apart from all the swing rings that I have previously mentioned they have volleyball courts, basketball courts and errr communal toilets. Which after all the sweating everyone has produced apparently means their aim is very off. And wearing no shoes, even if you’re on a beach is a poor idea. Unless you can elegently put your feet in the basin where you wash your hands. 
So we lay on the beach and reminded ourselves of where we were. It was incredible. 

Back home and some showers later we were off to The Shangri La. Somewhere in China? No, this was a four star hotel on the sea front. Why were we going?. Well not to blow any social trumpets but...[Insert trumpet fanfare]. We met the girl who owns. Yes OWNS this hotel at the Nero Gig, and she is very much into the ‘arts’ so put on a private party at the hotels secluded penthouse bar. Drinks were free naturally, as If they weren’t I would have had to take out a second mortgage. (If I had one in the first place it would help, but you get the point). The party itself was good, the first forty minutes where not. It was like speed dating for socialites. As everyone moved round each other to talk and conversations usually started with ‘What do you do’. And ‘how long have you been here?’ (Yawn). It became very obvious that if you couldn’t help the other person in any way then their eye contact would stray and seek out the next person they’d be fishing for. It was unfortunately the nature of the business. I met some influential people in their own right, amongst painters, hotel managers, agents and actors. There was also the odd British diplomat thrown in who now runs Beverly Hills Wealth Management. So now I have set the picture to the sort of clientele I’ll let you imagine the sort of conversations that followed. So when I ordered shots of Tequila it was...how do I say, frowned upon. I started chatting to a painter, I knew he was a painter as he said his ‘dress sense is unique’. I wouldn’t have said so. He asked me ‘whether or not you believe in reincarnation? what were you in a previous life?’ (I initially laughed...’Oh you’re serious’). Some people said a pirate, others I think said a unicorn. I went with ‘an early settler. Fresh beginnings spawned out of practiced idealistic ways of current life’. I saw his eyes widen with excitement and continued. ‘Not necessarily a leader of men in this promised land but someone humble enough to admit their own ignorance and yet willing to learn and teach others’. Just milking every sense of lunacy I knew he wanted to hear. He loved my answer ‘that’s the best I’ve heard’. ‘Well I can imagine, I think about it regularly’ he lapped up my story and the others looked deflated with their answers while I relished in my selfish answer. The party was good and we got home quite late. I’d met some potential people that could help my ever-growing and career. 

Lesson Learnt: Socrates once said. ‘The wisest man is the one that admits he knows nothing’. This can get you out of any situation.