Friday & Saturday: Cool to Creepy

I had to be in the neighborhood on Friday past. I had dinner at Mom’s with both my brothers in attendance (kind of a rare event). After that I went to the ancient dive to see the rest of the Yankee Game. The Met Fan was in attendance as was some of the Menhaters sisterhood. Gin was behind the bar and everybody was on pins and needles. Daria was there with a new face in the sisterhood, Rollie was a sports fan, not just baseball – football, soccer and hockey too.

Rallie’s a bit round, not small, but real smart about sports and very affable. Candy was there wrapped up in the game along with everyone else. Ellie had a brace on her knee and said that around this time of year it just gets real bad. She knows she needs orthoscopic surgery, but just can’t afford it. So she gets around the best she can. Googs and Ilsa were hanging on every pitch in the ball game.

Of course, we know now the outcome as every Yankee Fan in the place was disappointed. The Met Fan ran out of the bar after the 9th inning, he just couldn’t take it anymore. Everybody in the place immediately went for some kind of diversion. I got to the jukebox and let some tunes loosen us up. Candy danced for me and just got loose. When she does that I just melt inside.

Limpin Pimp bought food for everyone but his food handling skills (apparent lack thereof) was grossing Shelly out. Shelly actually shouted him down and served everyone in a very safe and sanitary manner. Pimp had hit the juice hard (although he may have had some help from other ‘medication’) and was staggering as if the floor was moving on him. He eventually left. I walked Candy to her car after the crowd filtered out. Sports, Dancing and talking – a good night.

I then went to ‘The Horse’ and bought some football boxes for Sunday’s Jet vs. Giants game.
“G” looked quite frazzled (she had been there since 10:00 Friday Morning). I bought a burger (they have a great grill and short order menu). Talked for a while. Headed for home while my eyes were still open.

Saturday I went to the dive again. I shouldn’t have. ERL was there and apparently high on all kinds of chemicals, he was paranoid and talking ‘extremely weird shit’. People were in but didn’t stay long. ERL sat next to me and took off into a conversation that made little sense. He said from what I could make out “some one apologized to me – they knew my name…what did they really want. I’m gonna have to fuck somebody up…make’em all kiss my ass…”

Daria and her new ‘special friend’ came in, Petita. She was quite a lovely woman who looked like a college girl. Daria and Petita were hand in hand smiling away, they came into have a drink and some talk with each other. Daria was so kind to everyone, so sweet, it was nice to see that someone could do that for her. Petita was talking, blushing and hanging on like a schoolgirl who just found her perfect beau.

To those who hate same sex relationships the sight of this could be offensive. But to those who know Daria, it was really kind of a special thing. Passion, romance and a touch of what might be called ‘puppy love’ may have been part of their thing. But it was kind of nice. They weren’t being lewd or lascivious, just cool.

Then the nasty spirit that possessed ERL started chasing the patrons out of the bar in short order. He walked up to Daria and Petita and started a semi coherent conversation, “Hey Daria, who’s this?” Daria said, “My friend Petita.” ERL got his balance and spurted, “can she be my friend too.”

Daria got between ERL and Petita and said “she’s my special friend”. “Understand”. ERL swaggered between them and put his arm around each of them and said, “HOW BOUT A THREESOME.”

Daria stared cold into ERL’s eyes, took Petita by the hand and walked to the front end of the bar. The mood changed from cool to crap. I wish Daria had cold cocked the asshole. But she and Petita had one beer as they showed off their tattoos to the more civilized patrons. After the beer they disappeared as if in a David Copperfield magic act.

Brad and Jon were in the bar and had witnessed some of this, they seemed kinda weirded out by this too. Everybody tried to do something to change the mood. Brad was playing some head-banging sounds and I couldn’t deal with it. I had halfway got through one beer and decided to head for the door. Shelly looked at everything and kept shaking her head, like this can’t be happening. ERL was now talking about what he could do with “both their asses” (Daria and Petita)

Then there seemed to be a chance for something positive to get back on track, Timmy and Biker Bob showed up and they had brought a good vibe with them. Everybody sat down and tried to chill out. Then ERL sat down next to Timmy and dragged the dive into the depths of apprehension, uneasiness and absolute nastiness. You could hardly make out what ERL was saying. (from a soul in the dive I found out Dino had been in earlier giving ERL a bag full of pills).

Evie then came in confronting ERL and everything sucked to the third power. Biker Bob and Timmy were heading for the door. Everybody seemed to be actors in a fucked up episode of the ‘Twilight Zone’. I got the fuck out too. I went home. I had to sort out some feelings. I had to really think about what the hell I saw this night and process this thoroughly. Shelly was beyond pissed. Regulars with cash were running out the door.

In the quiet of my dark and disorganized home I started to unravel this ball of sickness that infested the dive. I realized that ERL may have been threatened by what he saw. I believe that many men don’t have the maturity or mindset to deal with lovers of the same sex. I might be one of those. I am not offended by women with women. I am totally pissed off if I see a man with another man in a sexual context.

Life is extremely short. Even if you live to 90 or 100 years of age. I kinda have more insight to Daria and the Menhaters than most. When you have been hurt, so often and so long by so many sometimes intentionally, or unintentionally, you guard your heart and your feelings. Diving into the darkness caused by your own pain is the common retreat made by those hurt in relationships. Most people never believe they will ever find happiness in a relationship again.

Then, there is the magic that happens when two people totally click. It rarely happens anymore. Everybody is into what is in it for me. What about my feelings, what about my needs, what about my fun? When you find a soul on this planet who can move you from selfishness to selflessness, then you have a soulmate, a ‘special friend’. Intimacy on every level can be wonderful if two can be totally selfless in their giving for each other. This I know.

Not just from a college class or validation from a degree do I know, but from the school of hard knocks, of which I have an M.A. in pain and suffering. I am happy for and proud of Daria and Pettita. I hope they have a lot of joy in life and share much fun with each other. I am ashamed of ERL for offending them, even more for facing me to realize some of the ‘pig’ in myself. That is what has me upset.

Love.

RJ.