How do Two Men Become Friends?
WalkinradioThe people who know me best will tell you that I’m pretty good in all situations. I’m the guy who will approach any girl and start up a conversation. I don’t fluster easily, I’m quick with a joke, and I can talk to anyone. But now I find myself in an interesting situation and I don’t know how to deal with it.
Yesterday I went to my local Verizon store and bought myself an iPhone (I’m a hypocrite). The guy who sold me my phone seemed like a cool guy and we struck up a conversation. After he sold me my phone I stayed and talked with him for a while.
HE IS AWESOME. He started at wide receiver for Ohio State and was going to be drafted but blew out his knee his senior year. Since then he’s moved all over the country settling in LA. His housemate is a friend from school who just so happens to be an NFLer who has recently won the Superbowl and if those two things weren’t cool enough he works at Verizon! Ok maybe the last thing isn’t that cool but hey I’m a mattress salesman, who am I to judge a man by his job.
As I was leaving the store he handed me his card and said to give him a call if I ever wanted to hang out (he mentioned his girlfriend on multiple occasions so I know what you’re thinking and no). He thought I was cool too! Let the bromance begin right?
Here’s the thing; I’d like to be friends with this guy, all the sports stuff aside he was actually a pretty chill dude and we were having a pretty good conversation. But now what? Do I call him? “Hey it’s Jeff you sold me my phone”? Do I text him? That seems so impersonal. Do I stop by the store? That’s stalkerish. I don’t know what the next step is? Does thinking about it this much make me seem gay?
I realized I’ve never gone out of my way to befriend someone before. I started thinking back and literally all of my friends, ALL of them, became my friend due to proximity. My friends from home all lived in my neighborhood. My best friends from college either lived on my floor of my freshman year dorm, or across the hall sophomore year. My friends in LA all lived in my building when I first moved out here. Any other friends started out as friends of a friend. That’s how these things happen.
I want to be brochachos with the Verizon dude. Both Mr. Rothman (Co-Creator of Walk In Radio) and I have both maintained that we are lacking in bros at the moment but I don’t know how to go about making friends with someone who I met randomly.
And so Internet I turn to you. People, I know you’re not big on leaving comments, up till now I’ve never really flat out asked for them but I need some advice here. What’s my next step? Please, be my guiding hand in starting a totally PLATONIC relationship with another man.
-Jeff Kahn
Reader Comments (4)
Life and love is kinda funny some time cause the guys we want are so hard to get, but the ones that we dont want... are so hard to get rid of...
Stevie, you're so wise.
Jeff, stop being such a girl! Honestly just do whatever you feel like doing; call, don't call, drop by, don't, or whatever. As long as you don't turn up with a bunch of red roses at his shop I'm sure it will be just fine. Clicks like that don't happen every day so what are you waiting for? Go bromance already! Love your work!
Just call him and ask to grab some brewskis and watch a game. Seriously, why do guys have to be so difficult? He already made the first move by giving you his number; don't over analyze the situation.