Nate
Who knew moving all your belongings across state lines with only your brother and yourself would be so difficult?
It's not like I have a lot of prized possessions other than my guitar and my MacBook.
I took Evan's advice and rented a U-Haul for the day, but I didn't take into account how heavy a bed and couch would be.
If only I hired movers to help with this move.
I mean, it doesn't help that I'm extremely broke and living paycheck to paycheck.
It's a bit hard making the big bucks and finding a steady income when you're an event singer who only really plays weddings and small charity events.
If I were smart, I would’ve followed my brother’s career path and become an insurance underwriter. Who would want that boring life, though?
Evan and I pull into my new two-bedroom apartment in Newark, New Jersey.
I was initially devastated to leave my hometown of Philadelphia, but I know this is the right move for me.
After graduating from college with a degree in communications, I moved back home to save money.
Living at home had its ups and downs. Evan and I had to share a bedroom, which was absurd considering we're grown men.
The only other people living in our three-bedroom house were my father, Frederick, and his wife, Jamie.
One stipulation for living at home was that we couldn't complain about their keeping the third bedroom as an office.
I obviously wasn't going to say anything; I had no money and no choice but to live at home.
Living at home wasn't a total bust. I ended up meeting my first girlfriend, Monica, who lived alone in the neighboring apartment.
Monica was about 5 '5", with long brown hair and brown eyes, and absolutely beautiful.
She was almost as pale as I am, but at least she could tan in the summer.
As for me, I just get extremely red, which turns my skin into burnt crisps.
I essentially lived with Monica throughout 2016, only visiting my father's house occasionally. Evan obviously became best friends with Monica, which was great since he's also my best friend.
2016 was all about knocking back vodka sodas, playing Mario Kart, hitting up the only bar in town, and watching movies. Some may call us losers, but we were anything but.
Everything changed when Monica took a job in New Orleans as an entry-level reporter.
Asking me to go with her was a given, considering how good our relationship was.
Finding someone I connect with both physically and emotionally is extremely hard for me.
Knowing how rare that feeling is made me question whether staying in Philly was the right move.
My goal in life was always to open a coffee shop or to make it big in the music industry. I don't want to be a pop star or anything; I'm more interested in being an independent artist focused on alternative rock or pop. With that, I knew Monica had to go, and I had to stay.
By 2017, I was finally planning to move to New York City and start looking for opportunities to sing at weddings and events. You've got to start somewhere, right?
Interestingly, I was at a nearby coffee shop, looking for affordable apartments in nearby areas of NYC, when I got up to grab my coffee and bumped into a cute guy.
I was extremely quiet and awkward, so I happily returned to my table, avoiding further interaction.
But the slender, charming man surprised me by boldly sitting down at my table.
He was a bit shorter than me, maybe 5’8 and extremely tan.
His turquoise eyes were beautiful; I couldn't look away.
I had a faint attraction to his boldness, which is probably the only reason I even entertained the conversation.
His name was Daniel, and we dated for a year and a half. Daniel was a great guy when he wasn't drinking. He was clearly great enough for me to stay in Philly and put off my dreams until I figured out what we were to each other. Like I've always said, liking people doesn't come easy to me.
One of my most significant flaws is prioritizing the wants of others over my own.
Over time, Daniel became more and more focused on partying and drugs.
Not the fun drugs like weed or ecstasy; he was into cocaine and acid.
I guess all drugs are technically bad, but I let a few slide on the imaginary "harmful drug scale" I made up.
Eventually, I gave Daniel an ultimatum. He didn’t follow it, and we broke up. I finally decided enough was enough. I had to start chasing my dream and move to New York.
And here we are: summer 2018, and I’m finally making the move.
Newark isn't the prettiest or most glamorous place to live; at least, that's what my friends and family keep telling me.
What they don't realize is that I found a two-bedroom apartment for only $1,000 a month, and it's just five minutes walking distance from New Jersey Penn Station.
That means my commute to NYC is about 30 minutes, door-to-door, depending on where I'm headed.
“You’ve been standing there for like 10 minutes staring into space! Can I get some help here? How does this place not have an elevator?!” Evan screamed.
I guess I was zoning out, lost in thought, and forgetting I was in the middle of a move. Maybe I thought if I stood still long enough, Evan would just do everything.
“Oops, I was just thinking about life. Typical me. Thanks for starting with the small stuff. Let’s start taking this damn couch up the stairs. Two floors isn’t that bad!” I chuckled.
This move would’ve been a lot easier with one or two more people. That couch definitely dented the stairwell in a few places. Great start! Luckily, five hours later, we finished and could finally return the U-Haul to a nearby Home Depot. Thank God there’s one just ten minutes away.
Finally, we're back in my new apartment, sitting on my worn-in yet comfy couch.
Evan looked at me and blurted out, “Let’s get fucked up. Where can we go?”
Evan and I aren’t the type to search for crowded bars. We’d rather find a dive bar where we can talk about nothing at all.
“Um,” I replied, “how about Parker’s? It looks old, but the website says $3 beers!”
Evan perks up. "You don't have to say more. Three-dollar beers are all I can afford. I just looked it up, and it's a five-minute walk. I love this for us!"
As Evan and I wander the streets of Newark, I am pleasantly surprised at how nice it looks. All I’d ever heard were negative things, but it wasn’t bad at all. I live in an area called the Ironbound. I’m not entirely sure what that means, but I’m getting a good vibe.
We made it to Parker's, and I have to say, it's way nicer than I expected. The crowd of about twenty people is diverse and friendly-looking. Still, I had no interest in talking to anyone but Evan.
We find a little nook in the corner and sit down while the waiter strolls over.
“Do you have a bucket of Bud Lights or a pitcher?” I ask.
The waiter replies, “I can get you a pitcher for ten bucks. That work?”
I practically yell, “Yes!”
As the waiter walks away, I am in shock at how cheap everything is. I grew up in a place where things were affordable, but New York City? Not so much. I’ve heard horror stories. Newark, thankfully, has its own price range.
I smirked at Evan. “So, any thoughts on rejoining my fantasy football league?”
One thing I love almost as much as my guitar is fantasy football. I only have one league, mostly made up of old high school friends I barely talk to. Evan used to be in it, but he quit because he doesn’t care much about football.
“Fuck that shit! I follow one team, the Philadelphia Sparrows, and that’s it. No one’s got time for fantasy football,” Evan snaps.
“Well, worth a shot,” I snicker. “Remember that time I kissed Carter Elliott? What was that, like four years ago?”
Evan’s eyes lit up. “Holy shit, I forgot about that! I remember how shocked I was that you kissed a guy, that's for sure. But Carter Elliott? That was next level.”
He continues, “Who would’ve guessed the first guy you’d actually enjoy kissing would end up being an NFL running back!”
“Right?” I chime in. “Oh, what could have been. I really thought he was into me, but seeing him with that college girl, Sarah, after we kissed? Yeah, no interest in me.”
I'll never forget hearing Carter's name during the 2015 draft, called in the third round, and how excited he looked on TV.
He was great in college, but I was surprised he went that early.
The Boston Wolverines must've been desperate for a running back, or they really saw something in him. Either way, I was thrilled for him.
I never thought much about that kiss afterward and never mentioned it to anyone except Evan. I've never hidden my attraction to guys; it's just not something I feel the need to talk about all the time.
“Evan,” I said, “I still think it’s hilarious you had Carter on your fantasy team last year.”
“Yeah, and he might be the reason I stopped playing. He had some good games but was so inconsistent.”
I love talking football with Evan. It sucks he won't be in my league this year, but oh well. After three pitchers of beer, we head back to my apartment and get ready to crash. It had been a long day. But Tomorrow? Tomorrow, I will start looking for gigs.