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Otakon 2002: The Otaku Strike Back - Part II
by Ron Ferrara

I talked with Trish for a little while. I had been months leading up to this, and I had gone through my head all the things I _wanted_ to say, but I didn't say any of them. In fact, I can't even remember what we talked about. I hope I didn't sound like an idiot. "Aren't I cuter in person?" she asked. "Oh yes, you're much more cute in person." I started to say. She said she was going to go back to her seat and watch the music videos with Steve. She turned around and walked away before I could say anything else. I turned to Jeff. He asked me what I thought. "Oh, I think she's cute and..." I cut myself off. I instead asked him what he thought. He told me (which I won't disclose here), and I said, "You're right. She lives too far away, she has a boyfriend, she's the kind of girl that needs someone close to care for her, I shouldn't care, I need someone that lives in Bostonc" Jeff told me to shut up and stop rambling again. "You coming to eat with us later?" Jeff asked. I replied I didn't know and I would think about it. The first meeting with Trish didn't go very well and I really wanted to tell her some things that I wanted to get off my chest. Jeff went back to his seat. I walked behind Trish and gently run the back of my hand across her cheek. She looked the wrong way first, them turn around to see me. "I'll see you later," I said with a smile. I can't remember if she smiled back or said anything.

After the music videos, I gathered up my things and looked at my friends and then back at Trish. I ran back around to the rear of the video room to talk with Trish. I asked her what she was doing to do. She was already walking with Steve. She told me (I can't remember exactly what), and Mike and Jeff caught up with me. Jeff introduces Trish to Mike. Somehow, someone asks what tags we had chosen. We show ours and Trish shows hers and said she picked it (the Ah! My Goddess! One) because she thought she was pretty. "Do, you think she's hot?" she asks. She licks the entire front of the laminated tag. "Ah!" I exclaimed, "Belldandy-sama!" Jeff said simply, "Don't ever do that again, that's just not right. You can't do that to Belldandy; why would you want to? She's too... perfect." Trish answers back, "How about her, do you think she's hot?" She turned the tag over and again provocatively licks the other side card (another anime girl was featured). I heard one of my friends say, "Oh God..." while witnessing this. Then Trish held hands with Steve and walks away. I start to chase after. I asked from behind her what her plans were. I couldn't hear her reply. I moved to walk beside her and asked again. She doesn't even look at me; she was looking at Steve the entire time. I tried getting a response, but I watched her walk up the stairs instead, still holding hands with Steve. Mike and Jeff both find me. "I guess I'm coming with you guys," I said to them.

I gave what happened some thought. Then I realized something. Trish completely blew me off. She took one look at me, decided she didn't like what she saw and then blew me off. I told my friends, "Forget it man, I tried talking to her. I really wanted to spend time with her. She blew me off. I feel so..." Jeff told me to stop with the rambling again. It's all true. I did want to spend time with Trish. At least more than a few minutes. I've known her for over a year. She had this relationship with Steve for about a month now. I understand the distance thing, but still, I had to know more about her with all that time we had spent talking and sending e-mails and letters. I wasn't heart-broken, but I was greatly disheartened at the entire scenario. I wondered if I could have handled it any better. And again, I know what you readers are thinking. 'Dude, get a life, it's only a chick' or on the other hand, 'Hey, you're just some guy she met on the Internet, why should she dump her boyfriend to spend any time with you? You think you're that self-important?' I understand both sentiments. I am just some guy she met on the internet. What have we done? Talked for hours on end, sent pictures to each other, used live voice chat, and sent e-mails with the occasional written letter? Does it mean anything at all? I don't know, but here's what I think. I tried if nothing else to be completely kind and nice to Trish, and it seemed all I got back was rudeness and false messages. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I really am just an a$$hole, but I still think you can't do that to people, blow them off like that. I can hear Jeff telling me to stop rambling all the way from his state of Ohio, so I'll move on.



Be sure to read the next chaper of Otakon 2002: The Otaku Strike Back - Part III.





Otakon Logo © Otakon.
Zaku II © Bandai.
SOC Getter Robo © Bandai.
Oh My Goddess © Kosuke Fujishima/KSS/Kodansha.
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