Fucking OBVIOUS!
I guess it happens to all of us, but when it does you can´t help but feel like a jackass. Well jackass doesn´t quite capture the feeling its more like naive and unaware...with a twist of shame. OK, here´s the story...
Tonight I walk into to my usual internet cafe to talk on IM and read the news when it dawns on me that I need to buy more minutes for my cell phone and eat dinner. I ask the lady that works at the internet cafe where I can do these two things...her spanish (perhaps portuguese) flys quickly over my head. I leave and wander down the street that her hand was pointing at. So, I believe I have found the place and get excited. I walk in, and the place is basically a book store and restaurant which immediately seems like a place worth revisiting. I ask the employee at the front where I can purchase a phone card with minutes to recharge my phone, in Spanish mind you. Again his response is quick and I pick up like three words and the direction from his hand. I buy my minutes...and start perusing through the small rack of books in english (libros in ingles). "Oh ya, I´m fucking hungry! Lets check out this menu...yum, guacamole (a rarity in Spain) and a "Texas Burger"" I get a table and then go to wash my hands...but decide to go ahead and take a shit too. So I´m shitting and the door starts rattling and this dude must really need to shit cuz he´s about to break my door down, so to reassure him that there is someone on the other side I release an audible cough and he gets the point. I come out to wash my hands once again...and there is a guy in noticeably tight jeans taking a piss. The guy has his neck turned a blatant 180 degrees and is fucking staring me up and down...after a few uncomfortable moments in front of the automatic dryer I decide to get the fuck out of there with my semi-wet hands.
Now I´m at my chair and people are staring at me...stirring up this paranoia like something huge and discolored is on my face. But a wave it off and order a beer. An Estrella Damn, the bud light of Spain but much tastier (probably psychological). My beer comes immediately followed by two guys who sit down at the table next to mine. Both quite good looking and I immediately have a suspicion they are gay...but whatever. I sip on my beer and eat my guacamole which I have covered in lime juice. I notice that my possibly gay neighbors are drinking beers, but out of 1/3 liter glasses. In Europe its either a half or a third...basically its like starbucks, the slight increase in price makes it impossible not to order a half-liter. They go from maybe gay, to probably gay. I´m enjoying my Texas Burger when their entrees arrive. Two grilled chicken salads...How Cute! Faggots, no question! haha
Now becoming skeptical, I eye my surroundings and notice many men, in pairs, many of whom have been staring at me. "Hm, this place is for gays or something." It then becomes crystal clear that I appear to be a lonely faggot coming to the cafe for casual gay sex. This exlpains the guy in the bathroom, the rediculous staring, etc. I´m not a homophobe. But I guess its the way it snuck up on me, that I was surrounded by faggots. It clicked all at once and just overwhelmed me. As I paid and left I was dissapointed at my social awareness. How did I not see it initially, to top it off I bump into a couple holding hands on the way out the door. I leave scratching my head wondering if I am generally unaware...I´m sure some people go in their and leave not realizing anything peculiar.
Sidenote: I have adopted a pet-peeve here in Spain that I would like to share with whoever is still reading this entry. I am severely annoyed with bartenders who don´t correspond the beer being served with the type of mug. It might sound anal but yesterday I ordered a Newcastle at this pub and it was served to me in a Guiness mug. Now I am at the bar and I see her reach for a glass, there´s the Newcastle glass right next to the Guiness, but without putting any thought into it, and what looks to me to be deliberate, she grabs the fucking Guiness mug.
Whatever, other than that...everything here is wonderful.
Going to Tarragona on Sunday to participate in a Catalunian Casteling competition. Human Castels! Hard to explain, check google or something.
Miss you all, well...most of you
Adios
Tonight I walk into to my usual internet cafe to talk on IM and read the news when it dawns on me that I need to buy more minutes for my cell phone and eat dinner. I ask the lady that works at the internet cafe where I can do these two things...her spanish (perhaps portuguese) flys quickly over my head. I leave and wander down the street that her hand was pointing at. So, I believe I have found the place and get excited. I walk in, and the place is basically a book store and restaurant which immediately seems like a place worth revisiting. I ask the employee at the front where I can purchase a phone card with minutes to recharge my phone, in Spanish mind you. Again his response is quick and I pick up like three words and the direction from his hand. I buy my minutes...and start perusing through the small rack of books in english (libros in ingles). "Oh ya, I´m fucking hungry! Lets check out this menu...yum, guacamole (a rarity in Spain) and a "Texas Burger"" I get a table and then go to wash my hands...but decide to go ahead and take a shit too. So I´m shitting and the door starts rattling and this dude must really need to shit cuz he´s about to break my door down, so to reassure him that there is someone on the other side I release an audible cough and he gets the point. I come out to wash my hands once again...and there is a guy in noticeably tight jeans taking a piss. The guy has his neck turned a blatant 180 degrees and is fucking staring me up and down...after a few uncomfortable moments in front of the automatic dryer I decide to get the fuck out of there with my semi-wet hands.
Now I´m at my chair and people are staring at me...stirring up this paranoia like something huge and discolored is on my face. But a wave it off and order a beer. An Estrella Damn, the bud light of Spain but much tastier (probably psychological). My beer comes immediately followed by two guys who sit down at the table next to mine. Both quite good looking and I immediately have a suspicion they are gay...but whatever. I sip on my beer and eat my guacamole which I have covered in lime juice. I notice that my possibly gay neighbors are drinking beers, but out of 1/3 liter glasses. In Europe its either a half or a third...basically its like starbucks, the slight increase in price makes it impossible not to order a half-liter. They go from maybe gay, to probably gay. I´m enjoying my Texas Burger when their entrees arrive. Two grilled chicken salads...How Cute! Faggots, no question! haha
Now becoming skeptical, I eye my surroundings and notice many men, in pairs, many of whom have been staring at me. "Hm, this place is for gays or something." It then becomes crystal clear that I appear to be a lonely faggot coming to the cafe for casual gay sex. This exlpains the guy in the bathroom, the rediculous staring, etc. I´m not a homophobe. But I guess its the way it snuck up on me, that I was surrounded by faggots. It clicked all at once and just overwhelmed me. As I paid and left I was dissapointed at my social awareness. How did I not see it initially, to top it off I bump into a couple holding hands on the way out the door. I leave scratching my head wondering if I am generally unaware...I´m sure some people go in their and leave not realizing anything peculiar.
Sidenote: I have adopted a pet-peeve here in Spain that I would like to share with whoever is still reading this entry. I am severely annoyed with bartenders who don´t correspond the beer being served with the type of mug. It might sound anal but yesterday I ordered a Newcastle at this pub and it was served to me in a Guiness mug. Now I am at the bar and I see her reach for a glass, there´s the Newcastle glass right next to the Guiness, but without putting any thought into it, and what looks to me to be deliberate, she grabs the fucking Guiness mug.
Whatever, other than that...everything here is wonderful.
Going to Tarragona on Sunday to participate in a Catalunian Casteling competition. Human Castels! Hard to explain, check google or something.
Miss you all, well...most of you
Adios