Members of the Local Pipers Union 154 made an appearance today. I couldn’t avoid them and today they collected their fees. You see, if you wanna dance you gotta pay the piper. They arrived around 10 this morning and became readily apparent by 11. Julio felt the same way when I saw him this morning.

It was a long cold day. Watched Dick Cavett DVD’s featuring Sly and the Family Stone and Joni Mitchell among others. Tried watching it the night before but Julio and I found the Jefferson Airplane to be tedious and sapped what ever interest there might be in watching the rest of the disc.

Tonight we tried watching Sandra Bernhart’s ‘Without You I’m Nothing’. I saw that in the eighties with my brother Frank and Martha Keavney in a workshop in Chelsea. Very funny then, a little bit funny now. Julio wasn’t feeling it so I ejected. I had cooked a big dinner of chicken, penne pasta and tomato and cheese sauce.

We were both stuffed after two servings a piece, and we were both hung over from the night before, so it was couch surfing for the evening.

Earlier in the evening we had gone to Secaucus to Marty’s Shoe Outlet so Julio could buy some boots. He knew I’d want to go, thinking I had a shoe fetish. I had to explain to him that I don’t have a shoe fetish. I like shoes, I don’t lick shoes. He knows quite a bit, if not too much about my sexual proclivities. Why would I deny him that tidbit?

Right now, watching the Celluloid Closet by Vito Bruno on Logo, the gay channel. Great footage and subtext from movies since the twenties or thirties. Now Armistead Maupin is on talking about the movies, ‘Cabaret’. I once got into an online battle over my dislike for the movie. My main sticking point was how the movie won Best Picture, over ‘The Godfather’.

‘The Godfather’ is a classic that I can watch time and time again. Beautiful to look at and there are so many layers to the story. ‘Cabaret’ isn’t like that. I saw ‘Cabaret’ on Broadway a few years ago when it featured Alan Cumming and Jennifer Jason Leigh and thought it was brilliant. The movie was quite a letdown.

So some guy from the chat room was very upset and got into a flaming battle. I explained that the then current version on Broadway was superior to the 1972 movie. I think he was a major Liza Minelli fan and took offense. It was bizarrely funny and I never saw him again online so I suppose I might have won that one.

So look out and don’t question my taste.

I’m joking. My taste in my opinion is questionable. I am that tuna, that not only tastes great, but also tastes good. From what I’ve heard that is. And I won’t say anymore on that matter. Having said that, I bid you a good night.

Today what a day. Actually yesterday for this is being written tomorrow. Go figure. Ok. Not an easy day. Been thinking about Mary, a crossing guard that I am friend with in my old neighborhood in Weehawken. Mary has been very ill, cancer in a few manifestations. Not very pleasant. Haven’t heard from her in a while, wasn’t really sure if she was still alive.

I took a chance and sent an email. I could’ve called but I don’t have her phone number. And she enjoys emails and online stuff. She replied with an arduous tale of how her past year has been. Not very good. Cancer, radiation treatments. A lot of unpleasant stuff, which I won’t go into detail. Mary is a fighter though and seems to have the advantage over it.

She’s a tough one that Mary is. Not a crossing guard anymore but still lives about 20 feet from where she used to work. She was quite the eyes and ears of the Weehawken neighborhood. I replied with as much support as she might need from me. Go Mary.

Work was the usual stupidity. Not much else to say. Ran into Nino, a friend of mine who I know from another friend Rocky. Nino’s first words to me was ‘Rocky’s dying.’ What? What do you mean?

Nino tells me Rocky has colon cancer and a few other cancers throughout his body. What is it? Is today cancer day? I’ve known Rocky for a few years now, he used to run the loading dock where I work. Rocky is queer, and a drama queen. If Rocky stubbed his toe he’s call me and insist that his leg would have to be amputated.

I call Rocky and ask him what the fuck. Despite Nino telling me not to say anything, I say everything. Rocky tells me he’s been in and out of the hospital and his boyfriend has him on his insurance. According to Rocky, and I hope and pray that it’s his dramatic tendencies, that he has to got to Jersey City Medical Center for various treatments. He couldn’t really talk so I made a plan to visit him over the weekend.

After all this nonsense I decide I need a drink. So after work I go to the Townhouse, well known funeral parlor gay bar. Not really a funeral parlor but one might get that idea if they went. At six o’clock it was a funeral parlor. I had one beer and split. I went across the street to OW another gay bar on E58th Street, formerly known as Oscar Wilde.

At OW they have an alcove where one can smoke and drink. Comfortable if just a little damp and chilly. I have no problem with that since no one ever talks to me at gay bars. I am relatively comfortable with that. I am enjoying my beer when a guy named Tony from East Rutherford sits next to me and tries to get touchy feely. I rebuff his attempt and merely chat.

It’s all good, I don’t want to hurt his feelings though I am not into him at all. We chat about movies we have seen, I mention Brokeback Mountain. A guy sitting across from Tony and myself gets involved and the three of us talk. Interesting conversation a bit facetious maybe. I go to get another beer, Tony follows, the other guy says ‘And then there was one’. I tell him I used to be the ‘one’ but I’ll be back. And I do once I send Tony away. The guy’s name is Matt. I found out when some regular mentioned his name. Matt seems cool, and intelligent and actually able to have a conversation. The regular who mentioned his name won’t stop yapping so I split and run into Matt on the street. We talk some more and I find he’s intriguing enough to follow back to the Townhouse.

We hang out and chat and I mention that this is the first time I was ever able to have a conversation with another guy in a gay bar. Matt is a handsome intelligent guy who reveals that we had chatted online. He knew my face, I didn’t know his.

Interesting for sure.

We hang and drink and time flies by. Enough time for me to wish I lived in Manhattan. We leave the Townhouse and go to Pegasus a block or so away, where there are no winged horses. Imagine my disappointment. Matt proves to be a great conversationalist, and has lead a very interesting life.

Hungout with Matt, chatting away. He’s a great guy and has the potential to be a good friend. After a few more beers I decide it’s time to go home. I arrange for a car service from work to do the deed. We sit in Pegasus, Matt and I, listening to a piano player that we both want to kill.

Forty five minutes or so later the car arrives, and after another beer or two Matt walks me to the car. I tell Matt that I think he’s cool and would like to be his friend. He seems receptive.

In the car home I ask the drive where he’s from and he says Egypt. I ask him how long he’s been here and he says 14 years. I ask if he enjoys driving and he doesn’t. What does he want to do, I ask and he responds he wants to be a hitman. I ask him if he’s ever killed anyone and he says no, but he’d like to kill some women.

Okay…

Woman to him are only good for screwing. I mention that I wouldn’t know about that since I’ve never screwed a woman. He asks if I am gay and I say yes. It’s cool with him, he loves gay people. Great, just what gay people need. A gay friendly misogynist.

He dropped me off and I spoke with Bill in Detroit who visited the Henry Ford Museum and say the bus Rosa Parks got arrested on. Bill’s having a good time, the show seems to be going well. I am drunk and writing this in Hoboken and relatively cool.

Oh but tomorrow….