Thanksgiving day. Woke up late, slept until 8:30! Big deal. 2 and a half hours extra. Woke up it was cold. The morning shows all had Parades. I am not a fan of parades. If I had to watch them, I’d rather watch them on TV with the remote close by. I walked up to Washington Street and found the belligerent bagel shop closed.

So I went to their dreaded enemy, Dunkin Donuts. They were happy to see me. They’re happy to see anyone. Everyone gets treated the same basically, faceless efficiency. Got the papers, got some bagels and treated myself to 2 chocolate frosted donuts with sprinkles. Here it is 11:09PM and I’ve only eaten one.

Bill invited me to his cousin Hiram’s house in Yardley, PA for Thanksgiving Dinner. Quite a change from last year, where Bill was invited to his cousin’s for dinner. I was pointedly not invited. The usual lame argument, ‘don’t want to explain Bill’s friend to the kids’. The kids live a block away from the East Village. No way will they see same sex couples. I guess fostering the idea of being gay equals being evil is more important than education. And there was also his cousin’s elderly mother who certainly doesn’t know anything about evil gay people.

So to be invited this year was a major accomplishment. Julio was surprised that I was going after not being invited the previous year. I told them it was important that I go. To let them know that being gay was ok. There was no need for that. Bill’s cousin Hiram, ex-marine, big man specifically stated that it was a house of love and all were welcome. So nice to run into nice Christians. They seem so few and far between these days. They don’t get the press that the not so nice Christians get.

The plan was for me to meet Bill and his cousin, Carmen in Newark. They would be on such and such car and to be on that specific car. Oddly enough that was the plan that was put in place earlier in the week. Funnily enough, this morning the plan didn’t make sense at all for me this morning.

So I let Bill know that I’d meet him and Carmen at Penn Station. It’s closer than Newark and the chance of the plan falling apart didn’t seem as great. I walked to the PATH and got off at the ass end of the parade. Streets closed off, quite a few people on sidewalks, no one in the street except for me and a few other brave souls.


Met Carmen, Bill was late. When he arrived we walked to the platform and saw the train was standing room only. Carmen who has leg problems wouldn’t be able to stand the strain of standing so we opted for the next train. Which was fine. I was able to go outside and smoke a cigar until the next train.

After the Padron we went to the platform of the next train and were the first on. We had a choice of seats and picked 2 by the entrance/exit. Nice ride, comfy and cozy. We were in Trenton in about an hour. Not much to look at on the ride there, and it started to rain. The temperature dropped considerably.

Hiram met us at the station. I met him and his wife Chris, previously at his father’s wake. This was a lot better than that. Hiram is a gregarious guy. Very nice and warm. Bill really looks up to him like an older brother and he couldn’t have made a better choice. Adult children, no kids. All very pleasant.


Dinner was great, dessert was great. Lot’s of talk by a fireplace, political and otherwise. Very comfortable and warm.

Soon it was time to go back. It was even colder. I had hoped the train would be empty for the ride back from Trenton, but 2 stations later it was packed. I separated from Bill and Carmen and sat listening to Rufus Wainwright, Want Two in its entirety. Brilliant of course. And I was able to finish the New Yorker from 3 weeks ago, so I’m almost caught up.

Manhattan was frigid. Worse then deepest New Jersey and very windy. We waited for Carmen’s’ car to drive her to the Bronx. Julio called while we were waiting, telling me how cold it was. Of course he called from inside his toasty apartment. Good to know how cold it is when you’re outside in the cold.

Carmen’s car came and Bill and I made a beeline to the PATH where we luckily made it on before the doors closed.

Hoboken was warmer than Manhattan and therefore more welcoming. Bill is in bed. All is well.