Innermost Thought

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November 26, 2002

Life in the Fast Lane

I have finally joined the high tech hub by ordering DSL. I got a good deal on Earthlink and decided to bite the bullet though the extra expense is significant. All I can say is "WOW!". Everything is so fast and efficient. It makes dealing with webuilding and browsing so much easier. I love it. I just hope that I can afford it....

Posted by mermu at 03:24 PM | Comments (1)

November 19, 2002

Heh, Heh. "I don't think I can drink this all in one shot"

Okay, I have put this one off long enough. I promise I don't need to be in a twelve step program...all evidence to the contrary. Last Saturday night (the 16th), Mr. Butler took me and Same Day B-day friend Fred to a Spanish Restaurant in Newark called Iberia. Rhett and I were feeling pretty groovy as we had shared a really good bottle of wine before we left...we were tipsy but not overblown. The restaurant served a rather tasty Sangria too, and the company was amiable and interesting. I read somewhere that Iberia is the oldest Portuguese restaurant in the Newark area. I am not sure if that means alot (How many Portuguese restaurants in Newark can there be?) but there it is. So Fred, Rhett and I were having a good time. A word about Fred...he's a great guy with idiosyncrasies that, while charming on him, would be out of place on another. I feel strangely compelled to find him a nice girl with which he can settle down although he would probably prefer I find him a few naughty girls with which he could.. well you get the picture. So our trio was a perfect party at Iberia. Fred suggested that we get this seafood monstrosity for two. He would get the "all you can eat barbecue thing" that Portuguese restaurants do and surreptitiously share the juicy meaty concoctions that were occasionally displayed before us. It was all damn good food I must say and the two pitchers of Sangria put us all in a convivial mood as we made our way through the rainy streets of Newark toward Hoboken. Our next officical stop was at "The Red Room" of Solas where my friend, Liz, was throwing her birthday party. We decided to stop in at a local pub in Hoboken for a warm up shot on the way to the PATH train into the city. It was cold and rainy and a shot of whisky would surely warm our chilled bodies. Now I usually stay away from whisky and bourbon and the like. I am a tequila girl through and through. If it's not tequila I usually settle for the fru-fru girly shots like kamikazes or lemon drops; fruity, juicy drinks that taste like lemonade and are easy going down. My sister is known to enjoy her bourbon in a Jack and Coke cocktail but these days I think marriage has calmed her a bit. My mom also likes bourbon but truth to tell she's big on Margaritas too. I think it's because she is named Rita. This is also probably why she has such an affinity for shopping. She is, after all the Gallerita. Tonight on this windy, rainy night in Hoboken, I decided to run with the pack and have a shot of Jameson's Whiskey. I didn't think I would like it at all. Whiskey burns. To make matters worse, the barmaid poured the shots in highball glasses instead of shooters so we ended up with a double. I was a little daunted but bound and determined to give it a go. Try something a little different I say. Go out on a limb...I wasn't driving. Be agressive! So Rhett, Fred and I got our shots, toasted and Fred and I downed our shots in one go. Gulp Gulp. I have to say the Jameson was smooth and warm and delectable. Hmm. I could get used to this. Tequila can be a little harsh and dangerous. This was good solid stuff. At the same moment I was savoring the taste of this foreign liquor to my lips, big, strong, macho, 6'2", Polish-Dutch Mr. Butler who had been giving me grief all week about not being able to hang with the "big boys" at a party says with a sheepish grin on his face, "I don't think I can drink this all in one shot." LOL. I have to tell you Fred and I laughed at that for along time. We were putting our empty glasses on the bar and there was Rhett with his full drink in his hand. When he realized he'd been bested by a girl he drank his shot with abandon. With an empty glass and a gleam in his eye- this man was now on a mission- he dropped his glass on the bar and we made our way to the big city.

Paybacks are Hell or Lisa, I Had an "In The gutter" Evening.

Finally in the city, all warmed from our whiskey shot and giddy from Mr. Butler's demure drinking we were on our way to our final destination. We were walking from the PATH and it was drizzling and cold. Fortunately Freddy, my same day birthday good luck charm, managed to score an umbrella that was just waiting for us on the street. A gift from the gods I am sure. Rhett was walking ahead of us and still a little surly about our merciless ribbing. Come to think of it I should have known then that I was done for. You can only kid a man about being girly so long before honor becomes a mission. Unfortunately, I have never learned to stop digging my own grave particularly when the coffin looks so inviting. So Fred and I were caught between trying to catch up with Rhett and staying under the umbrella out of the wet. I must say I was looking pretty New York this evening too. I was wearing a grey short skirt and my black knee boots with black tights, a red rayon twin set and my leather jacket. I was ready to party in a New York way and despite the cold and rain I was still warm from the whiskey and the joke on Mr. Butler. I did notice that my boots were a bit slippery on the pavement. I would have to be careful this evening. New York streets can be treacherous even under the best conditions. Days before this event, Rhett and I had numerous discussions about what is appropriate while going out with someone. He seemed concerned that I would get jealous if he talked to another girl. I thought this was weird and immediately wanted to know what he was intending on doing that would cause me to get jealous. I think in the end it was all a big miscommunication. I have never seen Rhett behave inappropriately with another girl while out with me. If I did we'd be done. I imagine if I started getting weird about him chatting with chicks we'd be just as over. What Rhett may not have realized is that I am also a very social girl. It doesn't mean anything inappropriate; I am just being social. So before going into this wild party I was bound and determined to give Rhett some space and have a good time no matter what.

Finally, a still surly Rhett, a gallant Fred, and I made it to the Red Room where Liz was already celebrating. I introduced Mr. Butler and Fred to Liz, her beau John, a girl from Texas named Monica and another girl named Marta and then Rhett promptly went into the other room to get cocktails. Liz was already having a good time. While I was waiting for cocktails, her beau treated us to an impromptu, er..."lap dance". He dropped trou for his gal. How sweet is that? He was just pulling on his pants when Mr. Butler arrived with not three but 6 shots for our trio. Oh my! I knew this would never do. I was going to have to be a little sneaky. But that's alright. My dad taught me how to nurse a drink. So I downed the first Jagermeister shot under Rhett's watchful eye, picked up the second one and generously offered it to my good friend Liz who was celebrating her birthday. How sweet of me! And how sneaky! Not sneaky enough I'm afraid. Mr. Butler saw my generosity and immediately put another jagermeister shot in my hand. Strangely, I thought I could handle it. How wrong I was! So we were drinking and jovial and Mr. Butler was spending alot of time at the bar in the other room. I was not going to follow. Apparently a waitress had befriended him. I can't remember her name but I was determined not to consider it that big of a deal. And I am not sure if this was before or after I started dancing with Marta, the girl from Boston. Now, I didn't think this was a big deal either. After all it was a girl so anything sexy is just being silly. I think Mr. Butler was a little nonplussed. Perhaps he is more conservative then I thought. Then he suggested a kiss for the birthday girl...from me. So I did. After all, I am in theatre. I've kissed a girl before. Again, no big deal. It's just good clean fun. Liz and I giggled a little and "kissed". Huzzah!...I'll bet Mr. Butler didn't think I would do it. "heh heh. I don't think I can drink this all in one shot." Not me baby! So Mr. Butler was taking care of getting me good and sauced and I was feeling more and more like the belle of the ball. I remember at one point, sitting on John's leg (with Liz on the other) and noticing Mr. Butler sitting on the bench across from me. I remember looking at him and smiling and wondering if he would think this inappropriate. His face was noncommital. But really, I was on a guy who was practically engaged and I was sitting on him with his longtime girlfriend. It was all friendly really and completely innocent and appropriate. I was hoping that Mr. Butler would a) know that and b) come over and sit next to me (on John's lap). Alas he went back to the bar and perhaps the waitress. Maybe he's pissed? Ah well. I'll fix it later and besides he was flirting with the waitress!!! which was much more inappropriate in my opinion (or so I thought at the time). I did get up (from John's lap) and mingle some more with other friends. Jen, Liz's former business partner was sitting in a booth with her beau so I went and chatted with her. I think I may have kissed her too. I vaguely remember this. I remember Liz was chatting with us at one point too. And we had talked about how Jen's boyfriend was a little more conservative then the rest of us. He was a little weirded out that we had kissed (Jen and I). Come on!!! It was a girl! It doesn't really count, right.

Let's face it. No point in beating around the bush. I was completely and thoroughly sauced and it was all Mr. Butler's fault. No really. It's my body, my fault and by the end of the evening I was really, really drunk. I can think of maybe two other times in my life I was this inebriated and I was not even lucid enough to be scared. Not that I wouldn't have kissed a girl or sit on a friend's lap if I weren't drunk, but towards the waning hours of our celebration realization was beginning to dawn. I remember being in the bathroom and thinking I should get home quickly else people were would figure out I was really drunk. Our little trio made our way out of Solas. The party was over. As we emerged into the damp, New York air Mr. Butler seemed to be in the mood to start something with the bouncers. Actually it was Freddy talking trash and Mr. Butler was just trying to provide a buffer but I didn't know that until later. Worried for my guy's safety, I started after him in an attempt to defray the situation and promptly slipped on the pavement. When Lisa P and I were in college together at Tech I remember one distinct night in her dorm room when we were jonesing to get into a little trouble. We tried everything but to no avail. In the end, we settled for calling two of our friends, Topher and Kirk, kidnapping them and initiating ourselves into the dark and dangerous world of porn at the local "dirty theatre". Once there we sampled some of the red light fare and tried to scout out the key guideposts in acting that we were learning in school. We coined that night an "in the gutter" night as we had to scrape the bottom of the lubbock barrell to make our party. Well, on this late, wet night in New York City after Solas I found myself actually IN the gutter. I had fallen and I wasn't so sure I wanted to get up. I remember the doormen who were just moments later talking trash laughing their asses off. How embarrassing! I remember Freddy no longer interested in kicking Bouncer ass telling Rhett that I had fallen. I remember being curled up briefly in the fetal position on the cool, wet pavement and thinking, "hmm, this isn't so bad". Then I realized how pathetic I was and jumped up, out of my wet bed of concrete, and tried to stitch back together my bruised, battered and drunk ego. It was at this moment I was scared of my drunkenness and realized if I were with less honorable people I could be in real trouble. To make matters worse, Mr. Butler thought this was hysterical and he had won. I had lost my cool and in a much worse way than "heh heh I can't drink this all in one shot". (Although that was still pretty good.) I think he had joked that he was going to leave me there in NYC. I knew he was joking but it was important to me (in my drunken state) to prove that I could get to wherever it was that I was going...which turned out to be the PATH train. So after my drunken fall, I started trekking towards the PATH way ahead of Fred and Rhett. At some point towards the end of the evening Fred had given me a rose. I still had it in my hand. Miraculous. I think that rose kept me upright on my vigilant path to the PATH. I remember Fred and Mr. Butler laughing and then yelling "where are you going?" and then laughing somemore. But I made it to the PATH and there was a train waiting for me. Thank God! Mr. Butler, who had caught up at this point, got me through the turnstyle and on the train. He had to jump the turnstyle himself as I and the train were not waiting. It was on the PATH that Mr. Butler realized how drunk I was. He did a very good job of holding his gloat for the rest of the night. I was barely lucid and really pissed off at myself for getting that way and really thankful that I could trust him to keep me out of trouble for the rest of the night. The ride home from Hoboken was challenging at best. I lost it....literally but was at least not lost enough to lose it inside the car. Our trio got to Mr. Butler's house all safe and sound (thanks to Mr. Butler). The boys made a beeline for the leftovers in the kitchen and I made a beeline for the bathroom and a soothing much needed shower that lasted for quite awhile I am told. After the cleansing, I demurely cracked the door open, said a sweet goodnight to the boys feasting in the kitchen and went straight to bed, sorry that I had got myself in such a state that I needed to be taken care of and thankful that I had done so with people who actually do it.

I will say that Mr. Butler was really sweet from the moment he realized I was in a bad way. He did a lovely job of taking good care of a girl who was too drunk for her own good and he didn't make me feel like a huge ass until late into the next day when I was much more sober.

Posted by mermu at 03:30 AM | Comments (10)

November 15, 2002

Catching the Wild Mustangs or What's New at the Corral

First, a brief thank you to all of my grammar-rentative family members for not giving me grief about the mixed metaphor of "wild Mustangs" and the word "Chorale". Singing horses! Yeah, right. Secondly, a briefer thank you to Mr. Butler for advising me of my faux pas with such grace...and aplomb. Are you sure you aren't German/Irish and related to any Karls?I seem to have burned through a coupla horses in the Frivolous Fall Dating Season with a little more than a month to go. While I do not think that my barn has a revolving door, it's time to free some of the horses into the wild. The herd is thinning. I am not sure if that is a good thing or not. While those left are some pretty good horseflesh, I think I may be a pretty demanding...er...rider. (I promise I do not intend that to be as dirty as it sounds. Get your mind out of the gutter, suh, I am a lady.) Here's the update on the horses of Frivolous Dating Past and the current residents of the Casa Mermu Corral.

Gentleman Caller The Gentleman Caller and I met again in early October and had a lovely time dancing the night away. He's a barrell of fun. Spontaneous and not at all pretentious. You have to like a guy who isn't afraid to be an idiot on the dance floor; and yet have enough rhythm to salsa on the two-beat. We laughed our asses off that night. Alas, the Gentleman Caller is too deep into his own blue funk to enjoy the scenery, the ride, and the adventure. I am all about helping a friend in need; but I am no martyr and GC was self-involved to the point of rudeness. I am not the girl to be walking on eggshells no matter how frivolous the dating season. I wish him all the best and hope we can still be friends. I am sure we will be.

The Republican A paradox to say the least. An artist who actually thinks "Jr." is a good idea? The truth is that The Repub is also a good guy. He is however completely unschooled in how to deal with dating. He's artistic, frenetic, against the grain and edgy; things that can be perceived as intriguing or off-putting. In the end I feel that our needs are completely different in the intimacy arena. This one is tricky though. I would also like to remain friends with him but as a person he seems to get frustrated and pissed off frequently. My fear is that, while he has done nothing to indicate to me that he was ever more than passably interested, he will be upset to the point of breaking off any sort of friendship altogether. I suppose if that's the way it must be; then it must. I have certainly been in situations where I knew I couldn't maintain a healthy friendship without sacrificing too much of myself. If this is the case for The Republican it would surprise the hell out of me. But he's cagey and hard to read about these things. I think I am just stressing over having "the Conversation". To add a little more spice to the stew, The Republican and I came up with a mutual business arrangement and he's a good friend of a friend. I really, really want to handle this the right way...any thoughts?

Chachi This is my 24 year old pal. We have a really bizarre relationship. We met about 3 or 4 months ago at a party held by a Pangolin Pics coworker in Astoria. It was a lovely summer night on a rooftop overlooking the city from the East Side...a view of which I rarely have the chance to partake. The party was full of people younger than I; I thought I was doing a reasonably good job of blending in with the whippersnappers. At the end of the evening, Chachi asked for my card and gave me his.This request was a bit of a shocker. He had earlier seemed to be quite interested in a 22 year old girl named May that turned out to be married. I actually thought he asked for my information out of some youthful, macho need to at least "score a number". I bemusedly gave him my card thinking how sweet I was to indulge him and knowing I would never hear from him again. Lo and behold, he did take the time to call me. Four some odd months and a dozen phone calls later, Chachi and I have struck up quite a lovely friendship. We have yet to meet since the initial party. At one time I thought this guy could be a "prize" racer. After all, Sandra Bullock is dating younger men. It seems very de rigueur for these MaleMay/FemaleDecember romances...something about independent free thinking women needing guys who aren't so stodgy and hung up on antiquated gender roles. I am no longer so sure that Chachi belongs in my stable though. He actually just had a great first date this weekend with someone of which his mother would approve. On that, I would have to wish him the best. He is, without question, a stellar person and a gentleman. He deserves something stunning. BTW, Chachi will hate his pseudonym if he ever gets wind of it...but it fits in a "six degrees of separation" sort of way and it's what came up spur of the moment like.

Turkish Jonathan A few weeks before the cabaret I met a lovely Turkish man in a dark suit named Jonathan on the Weehawken bus. He was dark and handsome (not sure about the tall as we were seated). We sat next to each other and chatted on the harrowing drive from Port Authority to Boulevard East. I mentioned Tex in the City and gave him my card with my safe Answering Service phone number. He called and left a message with his phone number sometime during the cabaret. In the muddle of my birthday, the cabaret et all I somehow erased it. Oops! Hope that wasn't my "Triple Crown". So that just leaves a few various and sundry guys who I haven't actually gotten in touch with as of yet and.....

Mr. Butler An enigmatic and intriguing stallion to say the least. I have to say I have yet to be bored with this one and so far any flaws I have uncovered seem either circumstantial or make him more endearing to me. He's definitely a sly one and very skittish. This one knows how to jump the fence and that is worrisome. I wonder would he be less skittish if I added more stallions to the pen? Which leads me to..

Contract Renewal

My Frivolous Fall lease is up in a month and I am already pondering what to do...The idea was a good one. I have had a few great adventures, met some interesting people but have yet to date a midget. Mr. Butler suggested "Wild Winter Dating" may be next in line. I do think it is a good idea to have to "re-upp" every few months. No long contract for me, even in frivolity. I will take stock in the situation; and see how I am feeling about the whole business closer to the Winter Solstice. Though all evidence to the contrary I think I am at heart a truly monogamous girl; but one thing that Friv Fall has shown me is that monogamy and commitment should be earned, asked for and reciprocated. No use putting perfume on a skunk. There are a lot of skunks in NY masquerading as eligible men. Monagamy and commitment aren't a place where one starts.

Posted by mermu at 04:43 AM | Comments (5)

What you say?

I am getting some really great comments on the blog lately. Thanks so much to my loyal readers who like mixing it up. Here are a few follow up comments on some comments....

Jfer: Has Mr. Butler bought diamonds already?...Way to go, Sis!
Jenny! You are screwing up my chi! Besides that, Mr. Butler still hasn't told his current wife and kids about me yet. (Just kidding, mom. The wife knows. The kids don't.) I'm not sure but I think Scarlett's going to be pissed.

Rhetts friend Ashley: Pray tell...! We southern gentlemen are not frisky but adventurous. It is a great service to provide some amount of our warm aura to the rest of the upper crust. Last but not least when did a fine southern lady shoot back tequila and say I just like it for the taste. You go Tina!
Ashley, You seem like a fine upstanding gentleman. Had we been formally introduced on that night I am sure I wouldn't have given Rhett a second look. I must, however, educate you in the ways of a true Southern lady. For one thing, she will never shoot back anything, tequila or otherwise, unless she actually likes the taste. All the best, Tina

Finally....

Elizabeth: Meredith has a long-standing tradition of shooting back tequila, as my husband knows to his detriment . .
Wow! I haven't thought about that party in a long time. I think I have pics of Dale, Margaret and I doing our shots. We were wrecked!!! That was a very fun night. Who says you can't get a little crazy with your family?

Posted by mermu at 04:34 AM | Comments (0)

November 14, 2002

Yes, they're Real

First of all, I love the idea of putting the title out there with a "coming soon" before I include the actual blog entry. It's a sort of teaser. This will encourage me to come up with titillating titles and perhaps increase readership. The trick is, remembering to what the title is referring. That's right. Those sparkly gems on the Tex in the City shirt are genu-wine Swarovski crystal. I made the crystal-logoed tee myself with some very innovative materials from this little shop on 40th. The shirt was a smash. I got such great feedback regarding my handiwork that I am hoping to make a limited edition of hand applied Swarovski Crystals much like the original and also mass produce cheap knock-offs for the masses. I love it when an inspired idea is actually a good one.

Posted by mermu at 01:21 PM | Comments (2)

Bottle Service

One of the quirks about Halloween night was that I, Rhett (aka Mr. Butler), and SameDay Birthday Friend Fred all experienced a trend that is sweeping NY clubs..."Bottle Service". If you buy an entire bottle of liquor you get to sit in the swanky roped off area and enjoy the gracious ritual of sharing a bottle of your preferred beverage. The rates these clubs serve for this "privilege" is outrageous and because of such is particularly decadent. I don't think it's like wine where you get a break if you buy by the bottle as opposed to the glass. It's all about the marketing, baby and the appearance of privelege. That said, it was a fun thing to do and added a special twist to the birthday festivities. Partying among the patricians. Most of the time I think the plebes do a better job of having a good time; but it was an adventure living like the other half lives for awhile. And the ritual of sharing a bottle with friends, new or old, is a true treat. Mr. Butler has recently teased me that I was more than a little tipsy that night. He was singing a different tune then. I distinctly remember him remarking on more than one occasion that evening how I was watering down my drinks alot with the cranberry and orange juice. What can I say? I am my father's daughter. "I drink for the taste...not to get drunk!" Besides that it was vanilla vodka. I love that stuff but really, who gets drunk on that? Perhaps he was trying to wash away my inhibitions...Foolish Man. Little did he know that I really don't have too many of those and I never, never get so drunk that I can't be responsible for my decisions. So my gracious thanks to Mr. Butler and SDBF Fred for hosting the privilege.

One of the more interesting things about Bottle Service was watching the Jaded Couple next to us, watching other couples and getting excited about it. When they first caught my eye they were not having too much fun. The man was frustrated and the woman was disinterested. Moments later they were watching a particularly Frisky Couple dancing and joking around. Moments after that the Jaded Couple were on the floor, getting their groove on and getting frisky themselves. What a service the Frisky Couple provided. Now that's good karma.

Posted by mermu at 01:19 PM | Comments (2)

November 13, 2002

Country vs. Rock N' Roll

The cabaret went off without a hitch and was really well received. That said I would like to tweak it,make it better and more unique to Tex in the City, LLC. I feel like it was a decent entree into our producing career but there were some elements that could be energized and polished and more intense. We got alot of great support from an Off Broadway show, our liquour sponsor, and even Texas gal Liz Smith. I had a great time singing. I missed it alot and I found that my abilities as far as harmonizing and catching on reasonably quickly have grown. I think my favorite song that I sang was "Heartbreaker/Magic Man", a Rock Girl duet I did with Amanda. This number wasn't even in the original set list. We decided to replace a Eurythmics medley since neither one of us was really feeling that one. It's a good thing we did, too. The Rock Girl Duet added a much needed rock push to the end of the show and besides that, I got to sing like Ann Wilson. And seeing as how I had met a somewhat wild Blue-eyed man (who may or may not be Magic...I haven't decided yet) the weekend before, I had a personal connection with the song. The other solos, Seven Year Ache and Rock Me Right went pretty well too. I have had two separate people tell me that each was one of their favorites. So I am hit fresh with a new wave of the virus. You know the one where you forsake all hope of a secure lifestyle for an unknown life singing, performing and living hand to mouth. What kind I say? God and my family takes care of me and I am sick.

I got some special treats at the cabaret as well. Jenny decided she couldn't stand it and got a quick ticket to NY online. I knew once she was booked that my mom was sure to follow. We had a great time for the two days they were here despite the fact that I had no heat for the first night of their stay. They got to see the first night of the cabaret and were off by Tuesday morning. A special thank you to both mom and Jenny for putting up with me on Monday. D-Day of the cabaret and I was swamped! And a doubly special thanks to Jen for a great birthday present and costume for the cabaret. I love that shirt!

As I mentioned earlier, the second night Rhett and one of the Birthday Boys came to the show. Through a glitch in the system they ended up sitting in the first table stage left, right up against the stage. So much for the fourth wall. And my song selections were particularly daring. Try singing "your mama sure done raise you right, when it comes to home cooking you eat every bite. Take your sweet time, got all night....I wanna show you how to Rock Me Right" in front of a guy you met five days before and his Fortuitous Same Day Birthday Friend. So much for the demure approach. Shameless really.

Posted by mermu at 12:30 PM | Comments (2)

Red Light Diaries

Be sure to read the posting I recently added for November 2! Due to my special birthday weekend my friend Jim thinks I should add a secret "invitations only" blog to chronicle my more daring exploits. You know, the extended version...the Diaries Uncut. What do you think?

Posted by mermu at 12:05 PM | Comments (4)

November 07, 2002

Another great quiz I swiped

Another great quiz I swiped from my BIL's journal:

Posted by mermu at 12:16 AM | Comments (5)

November 02, 2002

Getting in the Door

Okay, so I am cheating..sort of. Thank God for Blogger drafts. This way it doesn't quite look like I am the lazy, procrastinating writer that I seem to be these days. In the last couple of weeks I had a great birthday, a cabaret I performed in and produced, a party, and new job...not to mention my Frivolous Fall Dating Experiment. So here's the latest scoop.I have come to the conclusion that looks are only good to get you in the door with a person. After that a person's character and charisma sculpt their face and body to what is either lasting attractiveness or unattractiveness. Don't get me wrong I like a good looking bod and face as much as the next person. And I want to be desirable to whomever I am spending time with. But the truth is the handsomest guy can be a huge ass and the plainest fellow can be so endearing. I have dated both in my time and it's nice to be old enough and wise enough to know the difference. I myself don't consider myself to have a "type" of guy I date. I suppose if I do, it would be dark hair, dark eyes and tall. That guy on Presidio Med who is also the Mysterious dark stranger in "The Mummy" movies would do it. Or Benicio Del Toro who is handsome in an oafish, Humphrey Bogart sort of way. But I have dated redheads, blondes, dark eyes, green eyes, tall men, short men and I have been attracted to all of them, even though the "public consensus" may think otherwise. Some guys get cuter as you date them; others don't. That said, I met a guy on Halloween. That's right! There is another fox in this hen house and he is handsome and charming... Why, Oh Why, did I wait so long for the Frivolous Fall Dating Experiment?

Pretty Man Came to Me, Never Seen Eyes So Blue

It's Halloween night and I am bound for the Copacabana, my new favorite New York Hotspot. My friend Julia and I meet up at about 8pm with the intention of meeting a few friends. I have decided to join them instead of beat them. Everybody parties on the day before my birthday so I will just party with them. Also having the cabaret so close to my day put a huge kink in my ability to plan something really extraordinary. So Julia and I are at the Copa, which I found out is not the locale of the original Copa. I am a little nonplussed. The last time I was there, the salsa section was on the top floor where the stage held a 15 piece band. I had felt transported into another world not of this time. The idyllic hey day of the New York Supper club. On this Halloween night we were relegated to the smaller downstairs. They split the two rooms into two separate parties with two separate cover charges. Damn Capitalists. So I was a little down that we weren't in the chi-chi salsa room even though Salsa was played. People were out in full force with their costumes and Julia and I had decided only to dress nice. "The guy" says we looked so out of place amongst the Wonder Women, Janet Jacksons, and GI Janes of the evening. To further my dissent into the doldrums, there were some people there that I knew. A small contingency of my gay friends were also at the party and the only thing I heard out of them from the moment I spoke with them was how dull and boring this "straight" party was. They couldn't hang with the straight people, especially since the "hottest gay party of the night was right upstairs". Whatever. So after 45 minutes of one of them harassing the promoter for the other party, gay friends left and Julia and I were left to our own devices.

I was in a mood, trying to shake it and trying not to think too much about the impending cabaret and have a good time celebrating the last year and looking forward to the next. Salsa always gets me going and in a better mood. An hour or so later we were having a reasonably good time and something that can only be described as a harbinger of a great year happened. J and I met a girl named Diana in the bathroom. She was with not one but two other people also celebrating their November 1st birthday. What could be better luck than to fall upon other birthday revelers? We went out to wish the two guys a happy birthday and dance a little more. One of them was my age. Same day same year...Definitely fortuitous. Diana and the Birthday Boys were dressed in fatigues decorated with diving patches. But they had along with them a tall, blue-eyed red devil whose birthday it wasn't. He's quite tall, 6'2" I think and Julia and I had noticed him earlier as he sort of stood out in a crowd of average heighted people. We remarked at how un-devilly he looked with his blond hair, blue-eyes and heavily dimpled face. Nothing devilish there....

We were wrong.

So the Blue-Eyed Devil gets a pseudonym. Names have been changed to protect the innocent and the guilty. Due to a song I sang at the cabaret, he thinks his name should be "Magic Man". (I didn't say he was humble.) I think I will call him "Rhett" due to a quirk his mother had about "Gone with the Wind" when he was born. He is from New Jersey, and was a 6th grade teacher for a time before "The Man" and the screwed up system ruined his zest for the job. We had a really great weekend after my birthday which I won't go into here (my mom reads this and one day my dad might). He and one of the birthday boys even came to see the Country vs. Rock N' Roll cabaret. Now that is points! He has so far managed to walk that fine line between being a gentleman and being interesting. So I am definitely adding Rhett to the corale.

Posted by mermu at 11:19 PM | Comments (1)