Thursday, slouching towards Friday. It was an ok day, Terry erstwhile co-pilot was in but I wasn’t able to sleep later than I’ve been. My mission this morning was to get flowers for the conference rooms and the reception void, I mean, area. Usual clients making it in today as well as thirty students from the Fashion Institute of Technology or the School of Visual Arts. This was bad timing on someone’s part, not mine. And of course all rooms were booked and if they weren’t, where the hell would we put thirty sullen, trendy students with multiple piercings on their faces?

It was just one of those days. I handled it well I suppose. I spoke with Amiable Alan about the office atmosphere and he agreed that it resembles high school with the cliques and scornful gossip. And here I was in a clique with Amiable Alan gossiping scornfully. He’s already thinking of excuses to not go to the holiday party which we seem to be slipping towards. I plan on going if I’m still there, and if guests are allowed then Bill will be on my arm, having been a hit at the last party in September. I had to deal with thirty teenagers all crowded around my desk in the meantime.

A hushed lecture was going on, hushed due to the fact that a client meeting was going on less than ten feet away. It was chaotic and I was able to leave midway through to go out and get myself some lunch. When I came back both the clients and the students had left. Apparently it went well. All parties satisfied and if they met each other as far as I could tell, there were no fisticuffs. A clash of ages is what I was getting at, in case you were wondering. The man versus easily co-opted antidisestablishmentarianisms. Isn’t that a great word?

Right now I am watching Ugly Betty on the telly. I started watching it last week and it’s such a sweet and funny show. Betty is sweet and everyone else around her is funny is almost every sense of the word. She’s just so adorable and yes the cliché is true, beauty is only skin deep. It reminds me of a show a few years ago called Popular. It was on following Gilmore Girls when that show first started on Friday nights. Sometimes, Popular was funnier than Gilmore Girls. Popular had a dark humor about it, especially following the sweet wit of the Gilmores.

The NJ State Supreme Court ruled that Same Sex couples are entitled to the same rights as opposite sex couples. The court ordered the State legislature to enact laws for civil unions, which should afford the same rights as married couples. But they can’t call it marriage because that just scares so many people. So easily frightened of sharing what they take for granted. Afraid that their sacred institutions aren’t as strong as they had thought all along. I have no patience for them at all.

Allen Riley came home from work totally exhausted. He thought about heading to a pub for a couple of pints but knew if he did that, he’d more than likely wind up staying all night. Not that he had any problems with staying out all night. The problem would be going to work the next day. Allen’s sister, Lucy always reminded him of the time that she and Allen had done something similar a few years before, meeting up with old friends at a bar and staying way too long. Allen would drink a few, then start looking for drugs to help maintain an even keel.

No Allen decided it was best to go home. There’d be no one to bother him or tempt him, unless he went online. He made a couple of sandwiches and sat in front of the television and watched the news which was all bad. He glanced over to a stack of Dvd’s and they were all things he’d seen before. Disgusted he put on his coat and walked outside. The streets were not too crowded as Allen walked down the sidewalk. Lot’s of people in the restaurants on Sixth Street. Nice restaurants, good prices and the smell of curry wafted onto the street.

Across Second Avenue a cab pulled to the curb and stepping out of the car was Peter. Allen and Peter had gone out many moons ago, nothing really clicked. Peter was dressed as impeccably as ever, nice pinstriped suit, silk tie and black shoes polished to perfection. Unfortunately Peter was a Republican and that was a major stumbling block in the relationship. Allen was a Democrat, but always fell for a nicely dressed guy, and nine times out of ten, those nicely dressed guys were Republicans. ‘Why can’t Democrats dress as nicely’ he said to himself as he walked across the street.

‘Hello Peter’ Allen said. Peter spun around surprised to see Allen. “Allen! What are you doing here?’ ‘Uh, I live around here Peter. Remember?’ ‘Oh yeah, you live right off ‘Curry Row’. I guess you’re still there, huh?’ “Yes, Peter. I still live there. What are you doing down here? The Upper East Side too dead for you?’ ‘Well Allen, I was supposed to be at a function down on Wall Street, but decided against it. Don’t know why I had the cab stop here, though.’

‘Well I’m just walking around, nowhere in particular. You’re welcome to join me if you want.’ ‘That sounds good. Did you eat yet?’ ‘Not really. I was hoping to build up an appetite by strolling around.’ ‘Ok. Well which way do you want to go?’ ‘Oh I don’t know. This way.’ And they started walking up Second Avenue towards St. Mark’s Place.’ Allen hoped he wouldn’t run into anyone he knew, and Peter felt the same way. ‘So how have you been Peter?’ Allen asked, reminding himself not to get into any political discussions. Last time they met up they got into a huge row over many things, but mainly how could a gay man like Peter be a Republican?

Peter didn’t know how to tell him it was for the wardrobe and how it attracts men like Allen.