I’d seen him out and about, always with his regular group of friends at The Rainbow Cattle Company, Austins only gay country bar left at the time. We had made eye contact, A few times across the crowded bar, but had never spoken. It appeared he was in a relationship with one of them. I still looked. After all he was my type. Starched, skin tight Wrangler’s with a crease that would have cut you, button down shirt, cowboy hat and boots with a big ole mustache…cowboy take me away… I enjoyed shuffling around the dance floor but he was a professional who did competition dancing. I watched him spin around the floor with the precision of a Swiss timepiece. I was out in mid February and saw him and his group playing pool. He walked up to the bar where I stood to order another round of drinks. We spoke briefly. He pointed to the group, that was his boyfriend and they were out celebrating his birthday. Oh well, moving on…but I wouldn’t forget him
“Men are like buses, you miss one, another will be by in 15 minutes” Too Wong Foo. Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar
I’d been single for a few months, trolling the bars and making the transition from being married for 10 years to being single again. When I am in a relationship I’m 100% monogamous and very domestic. When I’m single I can be a bit of a “whore” but even at that, I’m pretty discerning when it comes to choosing a “one night stand” I was pretty well known in most of the bars but I spent a lot of time in the dance bars, dancing my memories of a relationship past… away and beginning to see a new future. Our clubs are all in walking distance of each other so I could dance for a few hours and then saunter over to the country bar to see what was on the menu… I have always been the bold one. I didn’t play the game of waiting for someone to approach me, If I saw something I wanted, I pursued it with no concern for rejection.
March, out on a Saturday night, early, I figured I’d stop by the Rainbow Cattle Company for my first drink and and a visit with my favorite bartender. There are only a few patrons at this early hour but one caught my eye. I stood next to him as I ordered my drink and struck up a conversation. He is in town from Dallas for the weekend. From that point on, I referred to him as Dallas..still do not remember his name. As we engaged in small talk I got the impression that he thought he might do better than me but maybe we would see each other later in the evening, I am assuming if nothing better came along. OK, cowboy. Maybe I’ll come back later and make you another notch on my bed post…maybe not.
So I head out for my night on the town routine. I have friends in all the clubs, never pay a cover or stand in line. Dance, Dance, Dance…did I mention I love to dance! Around midnight I make my way back to the Cattle Company. It’s very crowed and lively. I’ve had a few alcoholic beverages by this time and am feeling “10 foot tall and bullet proof”. I walk in and lean against a wall across the room from the main bar taking in the landscape. There he is with his group of friends and guess who is standing Right next to him…Dallas. I also note that his boyfriend seems to be awfully friendly with someone else at the other end of the bar. He and Dallas are visiting and seem to realize I am across the room at about the same time. They both stand there staring at me, I assume not knowing that I have met both of them at different times. The irony of the guy I’d known for a few months and the guy I met few hours ago getting together…”oh hell no, not tonight without a fight”
What happened next just happened. I didn’t think about it. Its just who I am…
I strutted across the room toward them. As I approach they make a little space between them for me to access the bar. I stand with my back to the bar, Dallas on my left and he on my right. I look at Dallas who greets me and starts to make conversation…as I turn to Lane and whisper in his ear, “May I kiss you?”
His response was an enthusiastic “Yes, you may”. And so I did. When I turned back to Dallas, with a bit of a shocked and disappointed look, he shrugged his shoulders. Don’t worry, Dallas, there will be another by in 15 minutes…oh wait, I think that might be your “bus” at the other end of the bar: 😉
Lane and I danced till the bar closed down. He was such a gentlemen. I was very up front with him. This was a one night stand as I was moving to Boston in a couple of months. A few days later he called and asked me out on a date. I’d never been asked out on a date. Dinner and movie and another one night stand. At dinner he asked if he could see me until I left for Boston and that regardless of my choices, even if I engaged in other one night stands, he would be seeing only me. I gladly accepted this arrangement expressing my own intention of seeing him exclusively as well.
I never made it to Boston. It wasn’t my destiny. I chose a different path. I chose wisely.
Its been 20 years of “one night stands”. The best thing in my life, has been in my life for two decades because of one of the best decisions I ever made..20 years ago today.
I presented this to him this morning as a memento of this milestone. Two dimes (20 years) with a heart stamped around the mint year (2000).
Like all couples we have had our ups and downs. Still our love grows stronger with each challenge and triumph we face and celebrate along the way. I see no end to this journey as we walk hand in hand thru life, separate individuals but, always together. I look forward to a lifetime of “one night stands”.
Happy Anniversary, my love, my passion, my life! Still “Amazed” after all these years.
Happy Anniversary…