26 June 2010

Hello Mother

I had been planning to contact my mother in some form other than a text, for quite some time.  I had been debating on what I should get her for mother’s day alongside it. Due to a mix up, the card I wanted to send to her could no longer be sent and it was well past mother’s day.

I decided on the Junior’s cheesecake cookbook.  I had found it quite useful and I remembered my mother saying how she wanted to create the perfect cheesecake.  I went to Barns and Noble dot com and ordered it to arrive to her house.

The day that it arrived, I got a call from Jaiye saying there had been a tornado in Delco.  I became quickly worried.  My sister had tried to call me only moments before Jaiye, but because I was in Wal-Mart shopping with my headphones on I missed the call.

Jaiye told how Lansdowne looked like a disaster area and that there was no power.  I hurried off the phone with Jaiye and began calling my sister like a mad man.  When she answered, her sweet loving voice gave no indication that anything was wrong, she sounded happy to hear from me and gave every indication she had happy things to tell me.

We chatted about how she drove around that day with our stepfather and that she thought there was a tornado but Sharon Hill was untouched except for some golf ball sized hail and rain.  I was so happy to hear that the first love of my life was not only fine but also happy.

The last of my worries was if the wind might have blown the package off the porch but my sister told me she saw it, which meant it was now in the house.

I then called my grandmother and aunt and my grandmother gave me an earful about taking so long to call her and not calling her when I was in “the depths of despair.”  We then talked about the hail and rain and her commute home in it.  She was all giggles about it.

Latter I went to arrange my remote corner of the house.  I bought a bookcase and wanted to put it together and make what is my little workspace neat tidy and organized.  It came out nice.  The printer has a permeate spot now and I have a trashcan and file cabinet.  The funny thing now is I have lots of functional storage space for files books and anything else I would need in a home office all in a 6 by 4 foot space.

When I was done, I checked my phone and there were two missed calls, both from mother.  I called her right away and asked if she gotten my gift, she said yes but this was a better one, meaning the phone call.  She then went on about how much she missed me and was worried.  I could say nothing except to ask is she already had the book.  We talked for 49min and in that time she told me she was getting her business license and that she had to have surgery due to scar tissue.

I did not like the sound of it but she sounded fine and gave the news in a matter of fact tone.  We then talked about church and all the things we normally talk about, but there was no talk of my engagement, or other reasons I had stopped talking to her.  It was as if we just picked up where we left off. 

She does not know it but I do plan to be there the day of her surgery.  I figure this is how our relationship will be.  Things go ok and when holidays come up, she will pretend to be shocked that I did not show up because I am with MeTo’s family or the two of us went to my grandmother’s.  This year will be hard but it ultimately will define the type, if any, relationship my mother and I will have.


21 June 2010

Philly Pride and the RGOP

Of all the things Philadelphia is known for, the lad marks, the art mesueam, the franklin institute, ockie and the gayborhood nothing keeps me coming back more than my friends. It is hard to believe that I am fast approaching the 4 year mark of being open and happy.

Recently the four of us met up for one of the biggest events in the city, Philly Pride. I would be lying if I said pride was supper fantastic, I never go for the sake of going, or the entertainment.  I go because of my friends Jaiye, Phil, and RJ. It is also to see who we will bump into, old friends who’s names we forgotten but faces we will never forget and of course the men whom we have slept with, had bad dates, and just downright pissed us off.

The best part of the actual event was Raven from Ru Paul’s Drag Race and Jennifer Coolidge  (Stiffler’s Mom). Raven Looked and was amazing and Jennifer was Funny. I had no idea that she did stand up nor did I know she was coming to pride. I think it is time I get back into the loop.

The Real Gays of Philadelphia were together and having a blast. We hugged old gay buddies but aside from that kept to our selves no one was in constant attention.

RJ and I were the only ones alone. RJ broke up with his Josh 3 days prior and MeTo stayed home to do some work. Phil and Andre looked so cute together and just watching and listening to them gave several awe moments and made me wonder, “Maybe they are a perfect couple.”  And as for Jaiye the night before I found out that he and his Josh were engaged. This came as a shock to us all. With all the drama and the recent open relationship it left the rest of us thinking, “BIG Mistake.” But after talking to Jaiye and hearing the he thought about all the same concerns we did and that he knows its crazy, but still wants to take the chance, I gave my blessing. I latter told all my friends about the conversation and that we should support Jaiye.

I then gave my congratulations and joked about engagement parties and wedding ideas.

The day was rain on and off ending with a down pour. As we walked in the rain back to RJ’s car, we passed old spots that reminded me of Mr. M. La Scala’s where we had fancy pizza and expensive drinks and  the place that I bought the 9 dollar Kamikaze. Those we happy times but for each happy moment I could recall several unhappy one’s. I sent him a text letting him know I went to pride and thought of him when I passed La Scala’s. I never did hear back from him.

It was a happy kind of day and while it was a rainy one I had lots of fun and walking around center city it became clear I really did miss this city.

While at pride it was announced that the gayborhood would no longer just be a nick name. it was an official neighborhood in Philadelphia. There were official plans and the weekend of July tenth was a big one. When I got home, I told MeTo that I simply had to go.

So pride was full of surprises and I simply cannot wait to find another excuse to go back home.