His name was Brian. He was the roomate of my friend Fedra. She had rented out a room in her home to him. Brian had just moved to Seattle from Lewiston, Idaho. Immediately she was telling us how cute Brian was. He had told her that he was a real estate agent.
After about a month of living with Fedra, he told her that he was tired of hooking up with a different guy every night. He was ready to settle down with a nice guy. For some reason, Fedra thought of me.
She tried talking me into asking him out. I kept telling her no. For one thing he's new in town and he's selling real estate? That's like being an actor or an artist. Another thing, he's 25 years old! and he has an 8 year old son!! Also he's really hot and he hooks up every night! Yea I want a boy friend like that.
We had met a couple times when we had parties or when everyone hung out together as a group. He seemed nice and he was cute.
One Sunday afternoon we are all at Piecora's eating pizza, when Mark (another friend) blurts out, "So, Brian do you want to go out with Rick?"
"Sure, that would be fun."
"Um, oh, well" I'm trying to sound intelligent, "How about tomorrow night we can go see the new movie Wall-E".
"OK, but how about tonight, do you want to go dancing with me at the Cuff?"
This was a total unexpected response. So I say, "Sure, why not? Let's go".
So we head on over to the Cuff. I pay the cover charges and buy us a couple drinks. We hit the dance floor. We dance for a while, then he pulls me off into a corner where we start making out and groping. We go back dancing then head back to the corner. Back and forth. All of a sudden I really like this guy.
After a couple hours of this, he tells me he's hungry and asks if I'll buy him dinner. If I remembered right we had just eaten pizza a few hours ago, but sure we can get something to eat.
We go on Broadway to Jai Thai. He eats like he hasn't seen food in days. I pay the bill and we walk hand in hand back to the Cuff. At the Cuff we resume our not so unpleasant routine of dancing and making out.
I looked at my watch and I see it's 12:30, and it's a school night! I have to leave,
"Would you like to come up to my place and spend the night?" I ask.
No, I think I'll just hang around here until it closes at 1, but you go ahead you have to get up early. So we kiss goodnight and I head home.
The next day I discover that as soon as I left he picked up TWO guys and took them back to his place. When I asked him why he didn't just come home with me, he answered that "he didn't like me like that". He just liked my money! He obviously has not seen my truck or my bank book. I told him that that was an awful thing to say. He said, "Well at least I'm honest, unlike all your other friends." That hurt even more. It had me questioning my relationships with my friends. Was I being used? Certainly not for money, but maybe something else? I was really confused.
Needless to say, I cancelled the movie. I found out that that night he told Fedra that he couldn't afford the next months rent. He had no job and no money. It seems his mom had paid a couple months rent for him. So Fedra kicked him out and he moved back to his mom and his son in Idaho.
At first I was upset that he didn't come home with me. Now I feel very lucky that he didn't. I know me, (a flaw that I am working on), if he would have come home with me that night, I would probably be writing Fedra a check for his rent. Of course it would have had to be a post-dated check. OR worse yet, he would now be living at my place!
I had very little invested in Brian but it's amazing how fast I can be swept into these bizarre situations. Like I said, I am working on it. I signed up for a 3 day course in October that will hopefully help me with a few of my character flaws. I'm still working on the doubts I have about my friends.
Until Next Time - Wise OUT
Monday, July 28, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
7-11 Nacho Guy
I was having dinner with a friend when the two guys at the table next to ours start talking to us. They are fun and entertaining. One of the guys is straight and he picks up on the waitress. She's about to get off work, so they wait until she's done. The straight guy leaves with the waitress and that leaves Jon all by himself. We ask him to join us. He does and we talk some more. We exchange phone numbers when we leave.
The next day I get a text message from him asking what I was doing the next Thursday night. It just happened to be the First Thursday of the month. That's the Art Walk in Pioneer Square. (See previous blog Friends andHaircut). I ask him to join us and he accepts. I was a little scared about what my friends were going to think of him. I didn't know him well enough yet to guage if he would fit in or not.
He meets us all at Mitchelli's for Happy Hour. We all seem to have a good time. Then we head off to look at a couple of our favorite art galleries. He acted like he was into art and made appropriate comments and asked artists some interesting questions. As the night progressed we got closer. He grabbed my hand and we walked hand in hand from one gallery to another. At one point he moved in and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.
When it was time to leave, I told him I'd drive him home. He said "OK".
We walked to my truck and I unlocked the door. He then changed his mind,"NO, I think I'll walk home."
"What? "
"No, really I'd rather walk."
OK, so I walk around to the passenger side to at least hug him goodbye, when he puts out his clenched fist. I look at it for a moment, then I clench mine and we do the "gang fist banging together" greeting.
He waves and walks away. Another weird ending.
But it gets better, (don't most of my stories get better?). The very next day Jon texts me and thanks me for a good time and asks what I'm doing the next week. Well it just happens that I had just got an email from Haircut Jim notifying everyone about Haircut night the next Tuesday.
So I invite Jon to Haircut night. Again a little apprehensive about him meeting my Haircut buddies. I had told them about the art walk thing, so they were watching him closely. Everyone got along and had a great time. How can you not have a good time at Haircut night?
After Luke picked Jim up, Jon asked if I was hungry. "Sure I'm always hungry." Just look at me, I haven't missed too many meals.
I ask "do you want to go to Broadway Grill or somewhere to eat?" "NO," he says "I want 7-11 nachos".
"What?"
So we get in my truck and start driving to 7-11. He then tells me, "Wait, I think you can just drop me off at 7-11, I'll go in get my nachos and walk home."
"What?"
"Yea, that's what I want, just drop me off."
By now I'm kind of mad and say "Sure, I'll just drop you off". He gets out of the truck, and I put it in reverse to leave, (my reverse gear still works), when I notice that he doesn't even go in the store. He simply just walks away.
Friends tell me he has something to hide. I'm learning lessons along the way. I don't think I'm going to ever date someone who thinks fine dining is eating a weiner from a street vendor or 7-11 nachos.
Until Next Time - Wise OUT
The next day I get a text message from him asking what I was doing the next Thursday night. It just happened to be the First Thursday of the month. That's the Art Walk in Pioneer Square. (See previous blog Friends andHaircut). I ask him to join us and he accepts. I was a little scared about what my friends were going to think of him. I didn't know him well enough yet to guage if he would fit in or not.
He meets us all at Mitchelli's for Happy Hour. We all seem to have a good time. Then we head off to look at a couple of our favorite art galleries. He acted like he was into art and made appropriate comments and asked artists some interesting questions. As the night progressed we got closer. He grabbed my hand and we walked hand in hand from one gallery to another. At one point he moved in and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.
When it was time to leave, I told him I'd drive him home. He said "OK".
We walked to my truck and I unlocked the door. He then changed his mind,"NO, I think I'll walk home."
"What? "
"No, really I'd rather walk."
OK, so I walk around to the passenger side to at least hug him goodbye, when he puts out his clenched fist. I look at it for a moment, then I clench mine and we do the "gang fist banging together" greeting.
He waves and walks away. Another weird ending.
But it gets better, (don't most of my stories get better?). The very next day Jon texts me and thanks me for a good time and asks what I'm doing the next week. Well it just happens that I had just got an email from Haircut Jim notifying everyone about Haircut night the next Tuesday.
So I invite Jon to Haircut night. Again a little apprehensive about him meeting my Haircut buddies. I had told them about the art walk thing, so they were watching him closely. Everyone got along and had a great time. How can you not have a good time at Haircut night?
After Luke picked Jim up, Jon asked if I was hungry. "Sure I'm always hungry." Just look at me, I haven't missed too many meals.
I ask "do you want to go to Broadway Grill or somewhere to eat?" "NO," he says "I want 7-11 nachos".
"What?"
So we get in my truck and start driving to 7-11. He then tells me, "Wait, I think you can just drop me off at 7-11, I'll go in get my nachos and walk home."
"What?"
"Yea, that's what I want, just drop me off."
By now I'm kind of mad and say "Sure, I'll just drop you off". He gets out of the truck, and I put it in reverse to leave, (my reverse gear still works), when I notice that he doesn't even go in the store. He simply just walks away.
Friends tell me he has something to hide. I'm learning lessons along the way. I don't think I'm going to ever date someone who thinks fine dining is eating a weiner from a street vendor or 7-11 nachos.
Until Next Time - Wise OUT
Monday, July 14, 2008
Weiner Boy
It was a typical night at Martins. Martins is a piano bar off Madison on Capitol Hill. It's more laid back than your typical bar on the hill. They don't turn the volume of the music up every 20 minutes trying to entice you to buy more alcohol. Friday night, the piano player is Joe. He's also the piano man at the downtown Nordstroms.
I enjoy ending my Friday nights at Martins. Joe plays old ballads and lots of times everyone in the bar starts singing along. This particular Friday, I'm sitting alone at one of the leather chairs in the middle of the room. A guy comes up and asks if he could sit next to me. Of course, I said Yes.
His name is Kelly and he's a real estate agent. It seems that everybody on the hill is either a real estate agent or a massage therapist. We talk for awhile and buy each other a drink. By now I'm usually drinking water, but if a cute guy wants to buy me a drink, how can I possibly say No?
Joe then starts playing "Moon River". Kelly starts to quietly sing along. He takes my hand and looks at me directly in the eyes while singing. SIGH He's singing the song to me!!! At the end of the song he kisses my hand. This was probably the most romantic 4 minutes of my life.
We listen to a few more songs then he says he's hungry and asks if I want to leave and get something to eat.
"What do you have in mind?" (my imagination takes over now).
He tells me he wants a hot dog from the vendor down the street. (I have to tell you I was a little disappointed by this). If you are unfamiliar with Capitol Hill, there are hot dog vendors on a few corners. They set up about 10pm and stay open until about 3am. I say "OK, let's go, but let me close my tab first". I go up and stand in line at the bar, I get my tab, give them my card, sign the receipt and turn around and he's gone. I take a fast look around and I don't see him. I run out the door and down the street to the hot dog vendor. (Hint, Do NOT ever run down the street after a boy).
The street is crowded because there is a break between bands at Chop Suey. I frantically go through the crowd looking for Kelly. No luck, I run back to Martins thinking maybe he was in the bathroom or something when I left. No luck. I've never seen him again. Maybe he was an imaginary guy, maybe I just dreamed him up. But I do have a business card with his name and company on it. Should I email or call him? I don't know. I should be grateful for the short but remarkable time we spent together.
Until Next Time - Wise OUT
I enjoy ending my Friday nights at Martins. Joe plays old ballads and lots of times everyone in the bar starts singing along. This particular Friday, I'm sitting alone at one of the leather chairs in the middle of the room. A guy comes up and asks if he could sit next to me. Of course, I said Yes.
His name is Kelly and he's a real estate agent. It seems that everybody on the hill is either a real estate agent or a massage therapist. We talk for awhile and buy each other a drink. By now I'm usually drinking water, but if a cute guy wants to buy me a drink, how can I possibly say No?
Joe then starts playing "Moon River". Kelly starts to quietly sing along. He takes my hand and looks at me directly in the eyes while singing. SIGH He's singing the song to me!!! At the end of the song he kisses my hand. This was probably the most romantic 4 minutes of my life.
We listen to a few more songs then he says he's hungry and asks if I want to leave and get something to eat.
"What do you have in mind?" (my imagination takes over now).
He tells me he wants a hot dog from the vendor down the street. (I have to tell you I was a little disappointed by this). If you are unfamiliar with Capitol Hill, there are hot dog vendors on a few corners. They set up about 10pm and stay open until about 3am. I say "OK, let's go, but let me close my tab first". I go up and stand in line at the bar, I get my tab, give them my card, sign the receipt and turn around and he's gone. I take a fast look around and I don't see him. I run out the door and down the street to the hot dog vendor. (Hint, Do NOT ever run down the street after a boy).
The street is crowded because there is a break between bands at Chop Suey. I frantically go through the crowd looking for Kelly. No luck, I run back to Martins thinking maybe he was in the bathroom or something when I left. No luck. I've never seen him again. Maybe he was an imaginary guy, maybe I just dreamed him up. But I do have a business card with his name and company on it. Should I email or call him? I don't know. I should be grateful for the short but remarkable time we spent together.
Until Next Time - Wise OUT
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Haircut Night
There are actually quite a few people that don't need an explanation of Haircut Night. No, it's not the night that I get MY haircut. It's the night that Luke gets his haircut.
Luke and Jim have been together for quite a few years now. They are the typical married gay couple. Two cars, camper, and a lovely house in Renton. (Go ahead and inject all your Renton jokes here). Being home owners in the suburbs, they don't go out that much. Unless you call going out, shopping at the Safeway store or working out at the 24 Hour Fitness, or camping. Not my idea of going out.
But when Luke gets his haircut all the way up in Edmonds, it's Jim's chance to go out. You may ask why does Luke get his haircut in Edmonds? Aren't there places in Renton or even Seattle that cut hair? You will have to read Luke's blog to get that answer. All I know is that sometimes we wish he was getting his haircut further north in Everett!
With very little notice, Jim will send an email to a core group of his friends announcing Haircut Night. He only has to tell us what night. We all know the time, the place and the rules. Most of us cancel whatever plans we may have had, so we don't loose out on a Haircut Night. We meet at CC's around 5pm. Jim drinks one lemon drop, then we share a pitcher of beer. Once the beer is gone we head on down to Madison Pub. The time is usually between 6 and 6:30. Here we usually share another pitcher.
Haircut Night has one of two endings.
1. Luke just wants to go home after his haircut, so he calls Jim when he's about a mile away. Jim swallows whatever beer he has left, hugs everyone goodbye and runs into the street waiting for Luke to pick him up. We all swallow, say goodbye and Haircut night is over.
OR
2. Luke decides that he wants to eat dinner on the hill. I guess since it's his haircut, every once in a while, he should get to enjoy Haircut Night too. Once Luke has made that decision via a phone call, we then start our friendly argument about where are we going to eat. The place has to serve rice in some fashion for it to be acceptable to Luke. We banter back and forth until a decision is finally made. With dinner, Haircut Night has been extended for a couple more hours.
Regardless how it ends, Haircut Night is always over by 10pm. Most nights it's over by 8pm.
Not that this is an exciting story, but the concept is interesting. I bet alot of us have these semi regular meetings and groups that we have found ourselves part of. I have another group that meets the first Thursday of every month in Pioneer Square for Art Walk. That one starts about 5:30 at Mitchelli's for Happy Hour. That's my favorite place because the bartender likes me and it seems that my wine glass never goes empty, at no charge to me. That's my kind of place.
These groups give us a chance to catch up on life, tell about new loves, old loves, or the lack of any love. We all belong together if just for a few hours. These people are very special in my life, even if most of us are middle aged queens. At least they are my middle aged queens.
My only concern about my two groups is what happens if Haircut night happens to fall on the first Thursday of the month? That will be a very hard decision for me to make. I only hope I never have to decide between Haircut Night and free wine in Pioneer Square.
Until Next Time - Wise OUT
Luke and Jim have been together for quite a few years now. They are the typical married gay couple. Two cars, camper, and a lovely house in Renton. (Go ahead and inject all your Renton jokes here). Being home owners in the suburbs, they don't go out that much. Unless you call going out, shopping at the Safeway store or working out at the 24 Hour Fitness, or camping. Not my idea of going out.
But when Luke gets his haircut all the way up in Edmonds, it's Jim's chance to go out. You may ask why does Luke get his haircut in Edmonds? Aren't there places in Renton or even Seattle that cut hair? You will have to read Luke's blog to get that answer. All I know is that sometimes we wish he was getting his haircut further north in Everett!
With very little notice, Jim will send an email to a core group of his friends announcing Haircut Night. He only has to tell us what night. We all know the time, the place and the rules. Most of us cancel whatever plans we may have had, so we don't loose out on a Haircut Night. We meet at CC's around 5pm. Jim drinks one lemon drop, then we share a pitcher of beer. Once the beer is gone we head on down to Madison Pub. The time is usually between 6 and 6:30. Here we usually share another pitcher.
Haircut Night has one of two endings.
1. Luke just wants to go home after his haircut, so he calls Jim when he's about a mile away. Jim swallows whatever beer he has left, hugs everyone goodbye and runs into the street waiting for Luke to pick him up. We all swallow, say goodbye and Haircut night is over.
OR
2. Luke decides that he wants to eat dinner on the hill. I guess since it's his haircut, every once in a while, he should get to enjoy Haircut Night too. Once Luke has made that decision via a phone call, we then start our friendly argument about where are we going to eat. The place has to serve rice in some fashion for it to be acceptable to Luke. We banter back and forth until a decision is finally made. With dinner, Haircut Night has been extended for a couple more hours.
Regardless how it ends, Haircut Night is always over by 10pm. Most nights it's over by 8pm.
Not that this is an exciting story, but the concept is interesting. I bet alot of us have these semi regular meetings and groups that we have found ourselves part of. I have another group that meets the first Thursday of every month in Pioneer Square for Art Walk. That one starts about 5:30 at Mitchelli's for Happy Hour. That's my favorite place because the bartender likes me and it seems that my wine glass never goes empty, at no charge to me. That's my kind of place.
These groups give us a chance to catch up on life, tell about new loves, old loves, or the lack of any love. We all belong together if just for a few hours. These people are very special in my life, even if most of us are middle aged queens. At least they are my middle aged queens.
My only concern about my two groups is what happens if Haircut night happens to fall on the first Thursday of the month? That will be a very hard decision for me to make. I only hope I never have to decide between Haircut Night and free wine in Pioneer Square.
Until Next Time - Wise OUT
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