Clubbing Package Pt.11. Boston Cruise & San Pacho (City - till 2 AM)

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Main Plot Starts Here

Maddy was wrapping up his Karaoke gear, and I thought my night would end here, but it didn’t.

Old Acquaintances, New Acquaintances

Some drunk kids stopped by. Maddy’s last customers.

The kid in the front said to Maddy — hey, I think I have seen you before.

His blue eyes were not as cloudy as Maddy’s. He’s got short brown hair dangling quietly in the Boston midnight breeze. Behind him were his other bros. One with blonde hair, shirt not tucked in, looking shwasted, and another with black hair and dark skin tone, who seemed to have more sense.

Blue-eyed kid pulled out his Snapchat, showing a guy jamming on a guitar and filling the impossibles: he was raising the guitar to the back of his neck, blind-playing it, and grooving to the melodies.

Blue-eyed kid said, No way. Is this your uncle? You looked just like him. Just like him!

Maddy seemed a bit confused, but he hid it again by saying — maybe! We do look similar — maybe!

Blue-eyed kid said, Wait… This is you! He zoomed into the video, and seeing the same white ponytail, he confirmed that the guitarist in the video is exactly Maddy himself. He went so excited: No way this is you! Oh my god. You gave me the best nights!

He showed me the video as well, pointing at the time stamp and saying, Look, it is 4 am! This dude is so fucking talented. He said to Maddy, Dude, you were awesome, I think I tipped you like a 20 or something!

Maddy shrugged, he quietly said to me with some nonchalance: Hah, people always say that, every time.

I think he means: “People always say that, as if I give them the best nights, but there are so many nights! Thus, where do all the ‘best’ come from? I have already learned to normalize the praises with a grain of salt. They mean it at the moment, but words die fast…”

Blue-eyed kid’s words didn’t die just yet. He started chatting with Maddy, who started coiling his guitar cords. Maddy said (referring to me), We were hanging out for almost 2 hours! Now I gotta go home. I’ve got a naked lady waiting for me in the bedroom!

I guess we were all departing, but before that, blue-eyed kid asked me my name, and we shook hands like two businessmen.

So what are you doing later?

Nothing!

Wanna come to the bar and have a drink?

Sure.

Because why not? I know I shouldn’t trust strangers, but these are some drunk kids. Ok I know it is not the most valid excuse. I went anyway because there were still some crowds hanging out on the street and cars roaming on the road. I didn’t sense anything sus.

So I said goodbye to Maddy. I gave him some of my last changes, and we shook hands as well. I said, Are you gonna be here next week as well? Do I get to see you again?

He said, Yeah!

He said, Bye, be safe!

In a distant moment, I saw his shadow from 15 years ago — hair not as white, eyes not as cloudy. He was playing guitar while holding it to the back of his neck. Jaw clenched, muscles trembling. He was so into rock n’ roll that he poured his heart and soul into it. He fell in love so wildly, got hurt so wildly, and fell in love again…

I Forgot the Name of the Bar

I started walking with the drunk kids. It turns out that they are not kids. Blue-eyed guy’s name is Alex. The blonde guy is Chris. The relatively decent guy is Terry. They all work at JPMorgan. They are all finance bros.

I hear JPMorgan. My pupils instantly dilated.

So, can I have a referral? Can I connect with you on LinkedIn?

Alex and his boys burst into laughter instantly. They said, Good one! And, of course! I will see what I can do. Alex pulled out his phone and opened LinkedIn. I entered my name. It took me a while to find myself across all the 3rd connection options.

He only has ~150 connections. I said, Umm the more the merrier? He said, Quality beats quantity.

We kept on walking. Boston at 12:30 seemed alive. Not as noisy as NY, but full of seduction in its own way. Alex highly approved of my ill-considered decision to party in Boston by myself. Because why not? I want to do whatever the hell I want. Likewise likewise, said Alex.

What do you usually drink?

Shots.

I answered with a straight face, and we lost those three kids.

Seriously, I just drink to get drunk.

And I lost them again.

Then we reached the bar whose name I lost track of. The bouncer got the ID-inspection light implanted in his watch! Us four were equally impressed. Alex started having small talks with that bouncer. Now I truly see the JPMorgan inside him.

The top floor with chill afro music was having last calls, so we shifted gears to the house-banging base floor. We were ordering at the bar. I asked for the menu, but Alex said — for places like this, there isn’t a menu. They can make the usual stuff.

I can take shots. Said Terry.

But the drunk kid, Chris, seemed gone. His eyes were neither fully opened nor focused. Nope no shots, I guess. So I just ordered my usual fav, espresso martini.

While we were in line, Alex asked for my last name. He said, according to his experience dealing with Chinese clients, it’s gotta be Zhang or something… You got it right pal. As I was pulling out my phone to check the time, an older dude sitting beside us threw a chill comment to Alex: YOU GUESSED HER INSTAGRAM??

This is way too funny — this older guy who looks rich and careless, engaging in a carelfess talk among strangers. He said his name is Billy. We said, Nice to meet you, Billy. No, it was my last name, not my Instagram. We said, Goodbye, Billy. We shook hands again.

...

I got the espresso martini in my hand, and it was as good as always.

Jobs Jobs and Jobs

Us four talked about many things. Earlier, when we were on the street, we discovered our mutual interest in EDM and raves. Alex said, he really wants to see that artist… whose name he forgot… Mayhaps it is Fisher? Is it Fisher? I asked him to give me a track, and I will name the artist.

Dame, the name is leaving me just for now… It was the guy who made “Losing It.”

FISHER. I knew it. It is FISHER. The one and only FISHER. I almost started screaming. No shit! Alex said “SHUT UP” like a girlie girl when I said I went to see Fisher and Mau P in the Hamptons. He said, House music, I fuck with that shit. The goal is going to Tomorrowland in Belgium…

We talked about cars. Thank you Johnson, for letting me be the passenger princess in your AE86 again. This is something I will FOREVER use to flex in front of people when I don’t know what to talk about. While I was flexng my photo with the AE86, I accidentally scrolled to my feed page, and it was full of fit guys half-naked. BRO.

People please hear me out. I have no clue why is it like that. I know Instagram runs on algorithms, but I don't even scroll that much. Check my screen time if you want to. I am not obsessed with fitness models. I geniunely have no clue why they just showed up like that.

They laughed, so that is what you usually scroll on? Abs?

DEAD DROP DEAD.

I don’t know what to talk about. I feel silly, so I asked a lot about career advice — what school did you guys go to? How did you end up to JPMorgan? Should I go for master’s degree? How should I further pursue my DJ career?

…

No, I don’t believe that you are a DJ. No way! You really are? Make a website and let your customers leave you good reviews. Like those frat parties. You can keep DJing for them for free. Just ask them to leave you 5 stars.

Yes, you should definitely reach out and apply for as many jobs as possible. Apply for jobs that you are overqualified, underqualified. Apply for 100 positions before Halloween. Put yourself out there. Don’t stay comfortable — whenever you feel like you are getting comfortable, something is wrong. Stay outside of ur comfort zone, always.

Make them like you! What makes you stand out from thousands of people with identical skills? EDM! Music! Among all the other CS people, do you think you would hire someone who fits the category description, or someone who can party, DJ, and have loads of fun while being professional?

But I don’t want to be a people pleaser, or attention ho*. I do enjoy attention. Guilty as charged. But I feel bad using my passion for an impure purpose. But I know they are right.

Alex said he didn’t know what a GPA was until his sophomore year. Man, how is it possible?!

They asked me what is my dream company. I said — Spotify? He said, do you know where is Spotify based? I shook my head. Stockholm, Sweden, he said. You should do your research!

…

I really learned a lot, I think. The eye contacts and "businessy" manners was making me tired. I felt like I was in an interview, and I had to act immersed, although I thought this was just a casual talk.

No More Expresso Martini For Me

They asked if I wanted to have another drink. No. I refused kindly. Alex read between the lines and said, get home safe. It was 2 am. The bar played FISHER’s It’s That Time.

It Was Always The Uber Drivers Who Know Best

The Uber driver looks very Chinese, and before I made the assumption, the Chinese navigation voice spilled everything. A Chinese with another Chinese in the far-far-away USA. Of course we started a decent conversation. The driver said he is from 山东烟台. He reminded me of my mom. He said, people there are pure. So pure that there wasn’t much plotting going on. He said, isn’t life just about being through the “process?” Tasting all flavors.

He also mentioned that, he lost loads of money in the Encore casino while he was young. Sir. No gambling! He gets it.

Earning money is tough. That’s why you gotta be nice to your parents. He said. Will do sir. Good night.

Good night.

Till next time, and many many more.

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Published 12 Jul 2025