October 11, 2009 Written on the Bolt Bus to Washington DC for the National Equality March on Washington. Got about 3 or 4 hours of sleep and though I’m not at 100% I feel OK. 2 cups of coffee and listening to the Dark Was The Night compilation on the iPod.
At 5:00AM Bill woke me up when his alarm clock was going off, telling me something like ‘The alarm is going to go off every 10 minutes.’ Being asleep I said, ‘Huh? What?’ Then I looked at my watch and said, ‘Oh shit!’ and started to hustle. I did have the foresight to get my clothes and other things together for the trip the night before, so all I had to do was jump in the shower.
I do wonder why Bill was unable to make the trip, since the stage manager thing for Amiri Baraka’s birthday was on Saturday and he was home by 10:00. But his reasons are his reasons and will more than likely remain unknown to me.
The sun is coming up on the NJ Turnpike. It is 7:25AM and we’re scheduled to be in DC at 11:15. Passing by Bordentown and Trenton. Texts with Bill and Meghan Taylor. Bill is in pain, back problems and leg problems. It started yesterday so it probably is a good thing that he didn’t come along.
Very quiet on the bus, some iPod leakage but not too bad. Started texting with Juan and exchanged cellphone pictures with Meghan. Most everyone asleep on the bus.
For myself, this trip to DC is something I felt I should do, ever since that NYC march that Bill and I took part in, when it was first announced in May. I see it as a countering to the tea bagger march on September 12. I just hope we have higher numbers than those numbskulls.
I also did not want to be at home watching it on TV and regretting not participating. (From what I understand, it was not on TV)
I was just thinking of the previous March on Washington that I attended in 1993. I was working at Skyline Studios and was greatly encouraged to attend by Jimmy B, the studio manager. Busses were arranged through the LGBT Center from Union Square and Jimmy B. paid my fare.
Julio had made remarks then, that I was going to meet a man. It wasn’t my intention, honestly but if it happened I wouldn’t mind.
It turned out that I did meet someone. A guy named Cinque. Nice guy but after a few months of dating we weren’t that compatible. He loved Three’s Company without any hint of irony. I couldn’t get past that.
Now the bus is in Delaware, on that very large bridge. This brings up a memory of traveling to Newark with Bill Wrice to visit a college student named Claire who was going to school there. It was one of the stranger excursions I had been on and I was still somewhat closeted.
It was homecoming week down there and I think Claire might have had a thing for me or Bill Wrice. I know nothing happened between Claire and myself, but I cannot speak for Bill Wrice. Slept on the floor.
Now the bus rolls trough Maryland. Delaware is a small state. Reading Mojo with Kraftwerk on the cover. A really fun interview with Brian Johnson from AC DC. Seems like a nice chap.
So far so good, a quiet bus ride, with no incidents. Lush scenery flies by in different colors. I think the guy next to me is listening to Fleetwood Mac, that’s my guess.
Mojo is just too good this month/ Kraftwerk, Brian Johnson, Yoko Ono.
I was about to start to read an article on Big Star but didn’t want to get too involved. I did read an article on raising chickens in the New Yorker by Susan Orlean, which I had passed over a few days ago. Really good and a fun read.
More to come later.
Herald Square 6:15AM
