Pictures From Yesterday

We had a great time at brunch. Michael and I made quite an entrance! About a block away from the Tavern, I decided to put the top down and blast "One Day More" from Les Miserables on the stereo. This effect wouldn't normally draw any attention, but when you're having brunch with a crowd of theatre majors and musical buffs it can pay off. I was also betting on the fact that our friends would be on the patio and would notice the grand entrance. I can't tell you how many times I've approached the Tavern with my top down and the stereo blasting my entry song only to find that the patio was empty and no one noticed my efforts, accept for the crickets that I heard chirping in the background.

This time my efforts paid off. As I applied my parking brake, I saw Jeff standing on the railing of the second story dining room. He later confessed that he was ready to end it all because I made a better entry than he did. I don't know what Jeff's entry was like-- we had timed it so that we were fashionably late and the last to arrive. It's not intentional that we're always late-- I guess we operate on GST (Gay Standard Time). The only thing that could have made our entry any better would be if I had Michael riding in the back seat of the convertible, waving a huge red flag along to the music, as the cast of Les Mis had done the night before at the Fox.

Anyway, the brunch was yummy and it was great to see all of our friends again. Hell, it had been 3 days since we'd seen Stephanie and Lynn. Where does the time go? We hadn't seen Jeff and Lucia since the Inman Park Festival in April, so at least there was a reunion of sorts. I was so busy basking in the glow of a perfectly planned, last minute entry that I forgot that I had my camera with me. I didn't get a group shot until after Stephanie and Gina had departed for the Braves game. Sorry Steph!

After brunch, we came home and had a couple of hours to kill before we had to leave for Sophie's birthday party down the street. I finished off the Lawrence Sanders mystery that Michael encouraged (forced) me to read. I figured out the reason I don't like to read books-- I hate for them to end. I get so wrapped up in the characters and their dilemmas-- when I read the last paragraph/ sentence, I feel like I've lost a few friends. I wonder what ever happened to Jannie or Nick or Clara or any of the characters that I've invested months in (I'm not the fastest reader). That's what I liked about the V.C. Andrews series ("Flowers in the Attic")-- the characters evolved from book to book. They were sick and demented and full of incestuous acts, but at least the books flowed and I didn't have to say goodbye to any of the characters, except when they died from syphilis (all the inbreeding) or homicide (usually at the hands of one of the relatives).

But I digress.....being a forty-something gay male, I haven't been to a 9 year old's birthday party in years. We were only there for a little while (Michael had to go to work), but we had fun sitting on the porch with the "other" parents and drinking pink lemonade out of Hannah Montana cups. Before we left, Sophie opened our card and gift. She opened the box containing the tiny Biscuit shirt, but didn't seem to notice that her card was actually a "Get Well Soon" card. I didn't have time to go shopping for a card, but I had a stack of Get Well Soon cards, and a few Sympathy cards. I figured a Get Well Soon card would be the best choice. Hell, when I was 9 I didn't give a flying flip what the card read-- I was more interested in the gift. Sophie followed suit. When she opened the gift and realized it was clothing, she kind of threw it to the side. I wasn't offended-- I remember being a kid and getting socks, underwear and V-neck sweaters from my grandparents each year. Any type of clothing is pretty much an unacceptable gift at a Hannah Montana themed birthday party.

It just hit me that I really don't know who Hannah Montana is or what she's famous for-- I know that she's Billy Ray Cyrus's daughter (remember "Achy Breaky Heart"). I know that one of the dads at the party informed me that Hannah doesn't play any musical instruments and the she lip-syncs all of her songs. I guess she has the talent of a drag queen crossed with Milli Vanilli. I would probably like her music, come to think of it. I never understood why so many of my friends felt betrayed by Milli Vanilli when they found out that they were only front men and that they weren't actually singing the songs that they were famous for. We had all watched Charlie Brown and Lillie White lip sync other artist's hits for years at Backstreet and there wasn't a hint of a scandal.

Anyway-- I had only planned to show a couple of pictures from yesterday and leave it at that, but I obviously got carried away on a tangent or two. Thanks for joining me on this ride from my childhood birthday parties to Cabaret performers in Atlanta's finest gay bar (may it rest in peace). And Happy Birthday (and possibly "Get Well Soon") to Sophie. I wish you a speedy recovery!