I'm feeling slightly uninspired today. I've been ruminating on the Los Angeles friendship scene. Why is it so darn tough? I recently had a friend relate to me a sad incident. For her 30th Birthday dinner nine people no-showed her party. To add insult to injury, the venue was a swanky place that required advanced reservations. It made me feel sick. No one showed up to celebrate with her. Luckily her sweet boyfriend was there to console her. But why are people consistently flaky here?
I've lived in the South West, Mid West, and West Coast. And no where in the United States but Los Angeles have I encountered such flaki-tude. It happens to me all the time. You can't just, "hang out" here. Which is what I'm looking for. One must make painstaking appointments for weeks, sometimes months in advance. People pull out their planners and Blackberries to find time. After the appointment is made, I'll send a reminder e-mail, then the reminder text. Then invariably, the day of the event I'll receive a flood of responses, "Sorry, can't come, my cat is depressed, something came up....." It's an epidemic in this town. So here's my friendship want ad.
Wanted: One radical friend that is NOT flaky
The ideal candidate should be exciting and fun. She should reside in central Los Angeles. She loves adventure and wants to try every restaurant in town. She enjoys, and frequently attends theater, film, concerts, and art shows. She's an original. She laughs all the time. She enjoys going out, but also loves staying in to make dinner, watch old movies, and listening to records. She shows up unannounced, just to say hi. She's kind. She's a great listener. She inspires me to be a better person. And last of all, best of all....she's not flaky.
Compensation: Cupcakes, rides to the airport, and a shoulder to cry on.
