I've been taking stock in my life a lot lately, inventory on my friends and those I choose to surround myself with. With this new year I want to make it a point to surround myself with more positive people. People who know who they are, who don't say one thing yet do another, who when I'm listening to I don't have to wonder if every word out his mouth has been a lie. Successful people who want to do more than just sit around and get high... like go out and do things and get high.
Whatever.
While hanging out with my friend DeeJay yesterday, I couldn't help notice (and be a bit put off) by what a negative outlook he has on everything. No matter the person or place we're discussing. "Parking there sucks." "No one goes there." I hate that guy." "I fucked that guy." Bitch, you've fucked
everybody. No lie. Everyone. He rarely has a positive thing to say about anyone or anything. Thing is, no one rarely has anything positive to say about him either. Truth is I can't help but silently agree with what I hear though I'd never openly rag on a good friend in front of strangers. You never know who knows who or who talks to who. Write that down. It'll be a rare thing to ever hear someone be able to truthfully say that I was talking shit about them. I will rarely say something behind someone's back I wouldn't say to their face. A pretty strange trait to have in the gay community in my city.
So I've been out of the scene for some time now. My self enduced exhile gave me enough time to live down the reputation I gained when I first burst out into the scene. Having a room mate like Dru who went through owners and managers of bars and clubs like he changes his underwear made wild partying to access an almost every night thing. I'm older now. Smarter. Pretty much fresh meat again. I'm wondering if I really want to be judged by the company I keep once again.
I can't even count how many times I've been in innocent conversations when somehow it just happens to come up I am not only friends with but was in my first gay relationship with DeeJay, and I get
THE LOOK. Like simply saying his name invokes the taste of something disgusting in their mouth, like a vagina.
Then come the inevitable stories I either polietely sit through without participating much in the conversation to hint I'm uncomfortable with the topic, or I flat out admit to knowing my friend's faults but understanding him enough to know why he's the way he is.
But lately...
yeah. He's been really pissing me off. I've been going through a bad time lately. I call it my situation. I've been very lucky to have my friends and family there for me while I've been looking for a new gig. DeeJay in particular. He's been there for me and I don't know how much longer it would have taken for me to heal without his support. That being said, don't do things just to throw in my face when it feels appropriate. It's little petty things but still no less annoying. Nothing I've felt the need to call him out on. But still, it adds up after awhile.
Company you keep. I learned this leasson already.
Here's another lesson I learned alot more recently. Moderation. He's a great guy with the best of intentions. It can just be a little...much at times. Like whenever we're in public. He just always seems "on". Now, I have no problem in my own skin. I know who I am and there is not one part of me that feels embarrassed about being a gay man or who feels the need to put on a front for anyone's comfort. That being said I also believe that sexuality is such a small part of what makes me, me I don't feel the need to go skipping through life, thrusted forward by the flaming rainbow shooting out my ass as I sprinkle glitter everywhere with every breath.
I like having intelligent conversations with adults not play a game of who knows more about what. Just the other day it seemed like Dante couldn't open his mouth without having Deejay turning it into a pissing contest. Then when me and Deejay were hanging out later he had the nerve to tell me, "You believe how Dante was acting the other night."
Seriously?
I like even less the game of "Who Knows and Has Been More Intimate With Him (as in me)" he likes to play alot lately with Matt. Especially since I made the mistake of venting to DeeJay my concerns over continuing a friendship with Matt. .
While I'm on the subject of Matt, I couldn't help but notice how he's quickly becoming one of my favorite people. After our escape from Bitch Mountain, IE, Deejay's apartment, the other night we planned on hoping on the bus to get to the train where we'd go our separate ways. We ended up taking the hour walk to the train station instead, laughing and smoking the whole way. Exploring the neighborhoods and laughing when we ended up in what looked like the projects. I guess he was right about the disagreement we were having regarding this post's title. Kudos, bitch. I owe u a quarter of green.