A Few Passages from #28 Barbary Lane
A few months ago
maverick1303 lent me his copy of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City. I was a gay behind the times in having never read any of Maupin's books so I was grateful for the lend diving right in and immediately getting hooked by the (dare I say) delicious lives of the characters within. I've been told and have heard that one of the reasons why the stories are valued is because we can all relate to certain characters at certain times. I had one of those moments today (and have had a couple before today) when I was reading Further Tales of the City (the 3rd book). I thought I'd share these two passages:
First Passage
"He doesn't like to sleep with people," said Michael. "All night, that is."
Mary Ann made a face. "He sounds like a lot of fun."
Michale shrugged. "I think we're both in it for the sex. It's just as well. He has sleepsleepsleep sheets."
"He has what?"
"You know...those sheets that say sleepsleepsleep. They go with the towels that say drydrydry. It's awful, Babycakes. His taste is not to be believed."
"What a minute! I had some of those sheets."
"You did?"
"Yes, I did! What's wrong with those sheets?"
"That isn't the point," said Michael. "The point is... we have very little in common."
"Except sex."
Michael nodded. "Except great sex. And that has a curious way of canceling out the tacky sheets. Not to mention a belt buckle that says BILL and a shower curtain with a naked man on it."
"I think you're an awful snob," frowned Mary Ann.
"Maybe so," said Michael, "but at least it keeps me from overreacting to the great sex. If he had any style at all, I'd probably be in love with him by now."
Second Passage
They danced for another minute in silence. Then the man spoke huskily into Michael's ear. "Look... would you like to make love tonight?"
Make love. Not have sex. Not get it on. Michael's voice caught in his throat. "I'm actually... here with a friend. He's just... off now."
"Oh." The disappointment in his voice warmed Michael to the marrow.
"I could give you my phone number. Maybe, if you're ever in San Francisco..."
"That's O.K."
"Never get there, huh?"
"Not yet," said the man.
"I think you'd like it. I could show you around."
"I don't travel much," said the man.
Michael decided against suggesting a trip to Salome. "Look," he said, "would you believe me if I told you that this is better than all the sex I've had this year?"
The man grinned. "Yeah?"
"Infinitely," said Michael.
"I'm stepping all over you..."
"I don't care. I love it."
The man's chest rumbled as he laughed.
"You're doin' just great," said Michael. "Just keep holding me, O.K.?"
"Sure."
The first passage reminds me a lot of the tongue and cheek convos I have with friends of mine where I tell them my "rules" about Dream Catchers, men with birds, animal prints, jean shorts, and cut-off flannel. I read all of it and couldn't help smile. It's Seinfeld before there was Seinfeld. It reminded me of being in my 20s and not being able to get around a guy's hair implants. A corn field of baby doll hair that almost overpowered his smile and the more than decent sex we were having. As a bald man I couldn't see myself with him because I'd never be able to get past it. But the sex was good and we had a nice run for a bit.
The second passage hit me and it probably needs some explanation. When this occurs Michael has taken the cop he is seeing to a gay rodeo. The cop is the same person that Michael is talking about in the first passage (sleepsleepsleep) and is a fuck buddy. When the fuck buddy goes out to get poppers for after the rodeo a gruff, bearish, construction worker comes up to Michael and asks him for a dance. The line about their moment together and his invitation being better than all the sex Michael's had that year struck a chord. I'm not saying I'm having bad sex (smile). I'm saying that I'm a romantic and what I want in life are all the amazing and wonderful moments a relationship can have before and after sex. And yes, I want the sex too. But mostly I want that moment where I'm holding him close and he looks me in the eyes and invites me to make love.
maverick1303 lent me his copy of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City. I was a gay behind the times in having never read any of Maupin's books so I was grateful for the lend diving right in and immediately getting hooked by the (dare I say) delicious lives of the characters within. I've been told and have heard that one of the reasons why the stories are valued is because we can all relate to certain characters at certain times. I had one of those moments today (and have had a couple before today) when I was reading Further Tales of the City (the 3rd book). I thought I'd share these two passages:
First Passage
"He doesn't like to sleep with people," said Michael. "All night, that is."
Mary Ann made a face. "He sounds like a lot of fun."
Michale shrugged. "I think we're both in it for the sex. It's just as well. He has sleepsleepsleep sheets."
"He has what?"
"You know...those sheets that say sleepsleepsleep. They go with the towels that say drydrydry. It's awful, Babycakes. His taste is not to be believed."
"What a minute! I had some of those sheets."
"You did?"
"Yes, I did! What's wrong with those sheets?"
"That isn't the point," said Michael. "The point is... we have very little in common."
"Except sex."
Michael nodded. "Except great sex. And that has a curious way of canceling out the tacky sheets. Not to mention a belt buckle that says BILL and a shower curtain with a naked man on it."
"I think you're an awful snob," frowned Mary Ann.
"Maybe so," said Michael, "but at least it keeps me from overreacting to the great sex. If he had any style at all, I'd probably be in love with him by now."
Second Passage
They danced for another minute in silence. Then the man spoke huskily into Michael's ear. "Look... would you like to make love tonight?"
Make love. Not have sex. Not get it on. Michael's voice caught in his throat. "I'm actually... here with a friend. He's just... off now."
"Oh." The disappointment in his voice warmed Michael to the marrow.
"I could give you my phone number. Maybe, if you're ever in San Francisco..."
"That's O.K."
"Never get there, huh?"
"Not yet," said the man.
"I think you'd like it. I could show you around."
"I don't travel much," said the man.
Michael decided against suggesting a trip to Salome. "Look," he said, "would you believe me if I told you that this is better than all the sex I've had this year?"
The man grinned. "Yeah?"
"Infinitely," said Michael.
"I'm stepping all over you..."
"I don't care. I love it."
The man's chest rumbled as he laughed.
"You're doin' just great," said Michael. "Just keep holding me, O.K.?"
"Sure."
The first passage reminds me a lot of the tongue and cheek convos I have with friends of mine where I tell them my "rules" about Dream Catchers, men with birds, animal prints, jean shorts, and cut-off flannel. I read all of it and couldn't help smile. It's Seinfeld before there was Seinfeld. It reminded me of being in my 20s and not being able to get around a guy's hair implants. A corn field of baby doll hair that almost overpowered his smile and the more than decent sex we were having. As a bald man I couldn't see myself with him because I'd never be able to get past it. But the sex was good and we had a nice run for a bit.
The second passage hit me and it probably needs some explanation. When this occurs Michael has taken the cop he is seeing to a gay rodeo. The cop is the same person that Michael is talking about in the first passage (sleepsleepsleep) and is a fuck buddy. When the fuck buddy goes out to get poppers for after the rodeo a gruff, bearish, construction worker comes up to Michael and asks him for a dance. The line about their moment together and his invitation being better than all the sex Michael's had that year struck a chord. I'm not saying I'm having bad sex (smile). I'm saying that I'm a romantic and what I want in life are all the amazing and wonderful moments a relationship can have before and after sex. And yes, I want the sex too. But mostly I want that moment where I'm holding him close and he looks me in the eyes and invites me to make love.