Mistaken identity
Was in Toronto for the weekend. Johnny and I walked to the small store down the street to get vital supplies, such as chips. We have a habit of strolling through the neighborhood arm in arm, or hand in hand. This can look comical as all get out, seeing that she's six feet tall, and I'm at best five three. But love always looks silly, and feels great.
We were sitting on the front porch of the house, J. was smoking a cigarette. A woman was walking her very small dog. I'd estimate her age at mid eighties. She said hello, and started up the path to the house, saying that her dog wanted to say hello. I think she wanted to say hi, and chat a bit. I got up and went immediately over to greet her, and the dog, who was a bit indifferent to all this. I'm a total sucker for dogs, and will often stop in the street to say hi and pet any dog who seems the least bit friendly. J. says that its nice being with me, as I never look at other women- I'm always cruising the dogs. A pretty woman will walk by, and I'll turn and say did you see that gorgeous Rottweiler? What a handsome fellow! In fact, I once said to her, what a gorgeous Rottie! J. was surprised, thinking I'd commented on the body of the woman walking the dog. I hadn't even see her. She laughed, when I explained what I had said, and told me that the woman had been attractive. I hadn't noticed. The dog was stunning.
So I pet the small and rather unresponsive white dog, whose name was Baxter. The old woman started talking to me, and in a moment I knew all about her family, her health problems, her dog, and so on. She lived a few streets over. The woman gave me her name. I gave her mine, and introduced J. by her given name, Adrienne. J. waved from the porch. The woman said, I've seen you walking around the neighborhood. Is that your son?
I blinked for a moment. How to handle this? She was a lovely woman, just out for a stroll and a bit of a chat. I was a friendly face and a listening ear. How much did she really want to know about me? Were gay people even in her scheme of the world? Would she react badly?
I turned this all over in my mind, in a matter of seconds, and decided on honesty.
No, I said. She's my partner.
Oh, that's nice, the woman said. She and Baxter bid us goodbye, and continued on their walk.
It was so nice to get such a low key reaction that it put a smile on my face. How lovely, to be perfectly ordinary.
We were sitting on the front porch of the house, J. was smoking a cigarette. A woman was walking her very small dog. I'd estimate her age at mid eighties. She said hello, and started up the path to the house, saying that her dog wanted to say hello. I think she wanted to say hi, and chat a bit. I got up and went immediately over to greet her, and the dog, who was a bit indifferent to all this. I'm a total sucker for dogs, and will often stop in the street to say hi and pet any dog who seems the least bit friendly. J. says that its nice being with me, as I never look at other women- I'm always cruising the dogs. A pretty woman will walk by, and I'll turn and say did you see that gorgeous Rottweiler? What a handsome fellow! In fact, I once said to her, what a gorgeous Rottie! J. was surprised, thinking I'd commented on the body of the woman walking the dog. I hadn't even see her. She laughed, when I explained what I had said, and told me that the woman had been attractive. I hadn't noticed. The dog was stunning.
So I pet the small and rather unresponsive white dog, whose name was Baxter. The old woman started talking to me, and in a moment I knew all about her family, her health problems, her dog, and so on. She lived a few streets over. The woman gave me her name. I gave her mine, and introduced J. by her given name, Adrienne. J. waved from the porch. The woman said, I've seen you walking around the neighborhood. Is that your son?
I blinked for a moment. How to handle this? She was a lovely woman, just out for a stroll and a bit of a chat. I was a friendly face and a listening ear. How much did she really want to know about me? Were gay people even in her scheme of the world? Would she react badly?
I turned this all over in my mind, in a matter of seconds, and decided on honesty.
No, I said. She's my partner.
Oh, that's nice, the woman said. She and Baxter bid us goodbye, and continued on their walk.
It was so nice to get such a low key reaction that it put a smile on my face. How lovely, to be perfectly ordinary.