GayTV Recap: High Maintenance (Episode 3x7)

Episode 7 of the third season of the HBO series High Maintenance featured a gay storyline, as several stories intersected over the course of the hour. Oscar (played by Cedric Leiba Jr.) was new to the city, having immigrated from Puerto Rico. His friends get him a job working on a road crew and he gets quickly acclimated to the work, while also experiencing some of the drawbacks as the group is confronted by an angry resident, complaining about the noise.

He accompanied the work crew to the nearby market where he got a sandwich and coffee, meeting Angel (played by Juan Torres-Falcon) behind the counter. Angel quickly filled him in on the slang to get his coffee order more quickly, getting Oscar's attention with his warm attitude and smile, which caused Oscar to give him an extra look. The interaction left Oscar feeling upbeat for the rest of his work day.

That night, Oscar passed on going out to a club with the guys, choosing to stay behind alone, as he played with his phone. The next day, he made a point of visiting the market again for coffee, but a busy Angel didn't provide much interaction on that visit, leaving Oscar feeling disappointed after their initial friendly encounter.

That night, Oscar caught up with his sister and nephew back in Puerto Rico. They talked about how fast his nephew was growing up and some of the struggles his sister was facing there. The next day, he went back to the market and got a smile from Angel, causing Oscar to feel more upbeat about his crush. Later in the evening, Oscar held tight to the coffee cup as he spent some time by the river.

Feeling even more interested in getting closer to Angel, Oscar returned to the market without the work crew the following day and had another warm interaction with Angel as he got more coffee. Noticing Angel's earrings, Oscar decided to get matching ones, with some amateur help from his friends to pierce his ears.

Oscar returned to the market after volunteering to get drinks for the crew. Angel quickly noticed his new earrings, complimenting him on the new accessories, which delighted Oscar. He made the decision to go see Angel outside of work hours that evening, but he was instantly disappointed to find someone else working behind the counter.

Oscar headed over to the riverside, where he was soon surprised by the arrival of Angel with plans to do some fishing. The two shared a pleasant greeting and discussed fishing, which Oscar revealed was a pastime he took part in back in Puerto Rico. This led Angel to inquire more about his life and family.

Oscar learned that Angel had never been to Puerto Rico and encouraged him to visit there someday. Angel playfully said that maybe Oscar will invite him sometime. The two shared a flirty smile. Angel then offered to give Oscar some time with his fishing pole.

Oscar took him up on his offer and the two discussed their night ahead and the potential of hanging out sometime. When Angel suggested they could get coffee together, Oscar revealed the twist that he doesn't actually drink coffee. Angel laughed, as he realized Oscar had been trying to flirt with him during his many coffee visits to the market.