"Should you wait for him to approach you or should you just approach him?" "Is he single?" Then you see him having dinner with another man and think "his friend is cute too" and now you're wondering which one to approach. THEN you remember it's Valentines day and you ask yourself, "wait a minute, are they lovers or friends?"
....Unless you ask, you just never can tell.
Something like this happened to Matthew Dunehoo from Baby Teardrops and his friend Mick Myer.
"It was February, 2004. Me and my best buddy Mick were out to dinner at our favorite old school Italian restaurant in Kansas City, the oldest restaurant in those parts and revered by many. Pastel, glow in the black light murals of the Italian countryside on the walls, hanging gardens, garlic bread to un-vamp for.
It was a busy night, the restaurant was packed. We were seated in the middle of the dining area and both smokers at the time, proceeded to light up, which in retrospect was indeed rude but we were both high on youthful obstinance and thrift store fashion, and it was the era of W. so...
The awkward glances and not so subtle whisperings failed to cease even after we'd extinguished our smokes in a peace gesture. Mike and I, together, illuminated by candlelight, out to dinner on an ordinary Saturday night. In the middle of a traditional family restaurant in a traditionally conservative neighborhood...discussing the cinema and celebrating...Valentine's Day?
Shortly after our entrees arrived, it hit us both. It was Valentine's day. And here was your token suburban gay rabble rousing couple smoking, laughing out loud, wearing scarves in public, on that oh-so-commercial of nights reserved for hetero-flamboyance and chocolate gobbling (and nothing else mind you.)
I can't remember where Mike's wife was at the time, but the branding stuck. This, re-affirmed by our visit again this past November when the same waitress from 2004, a "lifer" asked us whether the total should come on one or two checks. She says, wistfully as wondering off: 'I never can tell with you two...'"
Sincerely,
Matthew
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