RIP Windshield Wiper

I stir the pot. I know I do, then I get in trouble and have to hide. This all happened on Monday night this week. I went outside with Jason when the Q Bar closed and was talking to Dave, Tony, and Johnny.

I met Dave the week before when we exhanged pleasantries and he gave me his number. I found out later that Dave had a boyfriend. This particular Monday night, Dave's boyfriend, Tony, called me and we had a little chat. Because nothing had happened with Dave, I was able to honestly tell Tony what had, in fact, NOT happened. After talking with Tony for a few minutes, I suggested that the two of them come down to the bar. They did. I realized that Tony was someone I had talked to online off and on for several years. We had never spoken in person, so we finally had the opportunity to do so.

Jason left and that's when all hell broke loose. Dave said he'd rather go home with me, someone who loves and respects him, than Tony. Tony asked me if I loved Dave, and I said (after my discussion with Jason, and watching him walk away) that I love no one, least of all someone I met last week and talked to once. Tony laughed hysterically, making Dave angry.

Dave and Johnny, a friend of the "happy" couple, went to the car, and Tony walked toward mine because he wanted to tell me something about James, a former roommate of mine. My intention (and I told both of them this) was to get in my car and go home alone. Since Tony was going to my car, I was willing to hear this "thing" about James and then drive him to his car. Before Tony could say anything, I saw Dave coming down the street. I couldn't move fast enough, and Dave started punching the roof and kicking the door of my car. I backed up a little bit and he dove onto the hood grabbing and breaking the windshield wipers. Tony got out of the car, and I left. Quick. I'm a chicken s**t when it comes to fights, that I know, but plastic body panels are good for something. I bent the drivers side wiper back as best I could, and made it home. The passenger side wiper arm was a total loss.

Dana to the rescue once again! I was able to get her employee discount for a new wiper arm thru the dealership for which she works. What would have cost $145 to have repaired at a garage, and $50 to buy and install myself, cost just under $30 with her discount and Bryan's help.

Incidentally, I did go home by myself. Just as I desired and predicted.

Spotlite on...Bryan

Bryan has been mentioned a time or two in previous posts. My friendship with him began in 1998, shortly after I came out. His claim on me is that he knew me all the way back when I was married. I'm not sure that's entirely true, but I do know that I met him very shortly afterward. Bryan is one of the nicest and funniest people I know.

We have traveled some together to Louisville and of course that fateful trip to Florida. We have spent a lot of time together over the last eight years. It's hard to believe that I have known Bryan longer than his roommate's son has been alive. Erica has been Bryan's roommate since before I met him. I think they would be common law spouses by now, if Ohio had that option.

I met Bryan when I lived in Cincinnati and lost contact for a time when I moved to Columbus. Somehow about 5 or 6 years ago, probably online, we reconnected and the rest is history. At some point, every time we hang out, we watch one of my favorite movies, "To Wong Foo..." Admittedly, it's getting to the point of rediculous. The most recent time we watched it, we sat with a piece of paper and a pen to take notes. We have also made a test for the movie. Let me know if you want a copy.

Bryan has met most of my friends in Columbus and talked to a few of the people I talked to online (when I had the internet.) I would say that I can think of no one who has met him and spent any length of time with him who does not like him.

I told Bryan last year, oh, whenever that was, that I had run into a nasty little drug and he was that guy who doesn't ask but just tells. He said he was on his way and would be in Columbus and at my house in 90 minutes. I didn't think he needed to come up, but it wasn't my decision. He has since been there to remind me where I don't want to go again. Thank you for that!

Bryan is a class act when it comes to friendship. I can't wait to see what else we can get into.

Ed. note: Bryan has asked me to rewrite this as he was not happy with the first draft. Since a lot of the things we do are not appropriate for a family show, I have decided that this entry works.

Git Along Little Doggies

I spent my weekend last weekend on the couch watching a show on PBS called "Texas Ranch House." But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. I haven't been online for any length of time nor had cable TV since February. I have had other priorities and bills to pay. That leaves me with three free channels. CBS, PBS, and Fox. That's it. That's all. Really, when you think about it, who watches more than three or four channels anyway? Do we really need 200 TV Channels and 100 Music Channels? That's too deep for me right now.

Back to PBS. This is what I love about that station. You can miss shows all week, but not to worry, Sunday afternoon, they run all the best again. The week before last was a whole series of shows about the British Monarchy. Last Sunday was hours and hours of "Texas Ranch House."

The long (horn) and the short (horn) HA! of it is this: They ran 131 head of cattle to market some 50 miles away. Every day, they had to get up and find the herd. They rounded them up and went 6 miles. Sometimes I feel a little like those cowboys. I love my friends but sometimes I feel like I'm herding cattle.

Jason and I built a close friendship and then he disappeared, only to be found again 3 1/2 months later. Chris is someone I have deep feelings for, but he lives 8 hours away and is in school-and works 2 or 3 or more jobs. That makes it difficult to keep in touch with him. Tom is a lot of fun to be with--a lot, but he's in school and working. I haven't seen him since February, except for last night. Beau vanished last year when I was doing bad things. I've talked to him recently, but it's hard to see him because we each have a lot of different things going on. Bryan, Greg, Drew, Paul, Terry and Brandon all live out of town and it's difficult sometimes to keep up with them.

Friends from work and people I used to work with are another group. Dana is hard to keep up with, but not because we're not in contact with one another. Lisa has just left the bank and still lives in town, but as much as I would have liked to see her outside of work, we didn't much. I fear that I won't see her at all any more. Sheryl left the bank several months back and I haven't seen her once since then. Patti and Michael left a long time ago, and rumor has it, they have some big news. I can't get a hold of them to check my facts, and I am not a gossipmonger. (the rousing chorus of dissent is deafening!)

Family is another matter altogether. They live in New Jersey, Florida, Illinois, Arkansas, Colorado, and on and on. Try to round up that herd!

People wonder why I'm so tired all the time. I am blessed to have lots of friends, and I am blessed with the ability to keep up with them. As much as they let me. I have always said I'm a very visual person. If there's any doubt of that now, note that I have just compared everyone I know to a herd of cattle. Yee Haw!

Home for the Weekend? I Think Not

Since I last wrote, a lot has happened. I went white-water rafting last weekend in West Virginia. My dad, two brothers, myself, and two other guys went to the New River and had a fantastic time. I had never done that before, and I can't wait to go again. It wasn't that expensive at about $120.00/person. That included two nights in a cabin, the actual river trip, and three meals the day of the trip. I don't think I've ever had as much fun on a family trip.

We all survived, but there was one frightening experience. We had an opportunity to climb up and jump off a rock that was 10-15 feet above the river. That itself wasn't too bad, but the water was about 50 degrees. My dad's 55 year-old body went into a kind of shock and he couldn't get enough breath to swim to the boat. My brother was able to help him back to the boat and we got him back in.

Nate, one of my brothers, went over the side backwards when we hit one of the rapids, but was held in by his feet till we could get him back. That wasn't particularly bad, except that if he had gone all the way over, he'd be swimming with the people-sized catfish. At least, that's what the river guide said. He also said the dogwoods were beautiful this time of year. They were redbud trees. One wonders how much he knew and how much he made up.

As I write this, I am sitting in a Burger King in Macclenny, FL. This may well be the oddest spur of the moment trip I've ever made. Bryan, my friend from Cincinnati, called me on Thursday last week and asked if I wanted to go to Florida. As it turns out, his sister had an interview at McDonald's this morning, and he wanted another driver. We left Cincinnati at 7:00am on Monday and got down here around 9:00pm last night. (Macclenny is just west of the Jacksonville area.) We got up this morning and Bryan and his sister, Andrea, went to the interview, and I found a wireless hotspot. This may well turn into the longest entry to date, if the interview goes well.

One of my favorite movies is "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar." Bryan and I watch it at least once every time we see each other. That movie is set around a road trip, so we have been quoting it at every possible moment. His sister doesn't know the movie, so that makes the quotes that much funnier. We even found a shoe and went thru the bar scene when "possibly dead Sherriff Dollard" is looking for the owner of the shoe.

(It's smoke break time. I will return.)

God, thats's good. Expensive habit, and I may quit. Don't hold your breath. Speaking of quitting, I'm five days short of five months clean. Have I mentioned how much fun I'm having being sober? I guarantee that I wouldn't be in Florida right now if I was still getting high.

On this 14 hour trip, I only drove for about 90 minutes. It's not my choice, but it appears I'm the only one of the three of us who can fit in the back seat of a Hyundai. The time I did drive, though, I shepherded us through Atlanta. What a kick! A lot of people would drive around such a city, but I went right through Downtown. I felt like I was playing Gran Turismo or something. We blew through there in about 20 minutes.

I was promised a stop in Atlanta on the way home later today to get a picture in front of the statehouse. I have a long term travel goal of having my picture taken on the steps of every statehouse in the nation. The icing would be the US Capitol Building. I have three states down. Forty-seven to go.

It appears that I will be travelling again next weekend. Jason is an uncle again, so he wants me to go see the little prune. Don't get me wrong, I like kids, but I like them when they are old enough to do dishes. When they are just born, they all look the same. Like prunes. I'm just busy all the time. I love it.

Sometime in the next 2 or 3 months, I will be travelling to New Jersey and possibly Illinois. Stay tuned for that. I think I'm gonna quit writing and see if I can find some trouble to get into. There's a guy sitting right over there that I would get in trouble with. Aww, he just left. Gotta Go!