San Francisco Pride 2007: We miss you, Harvey!

From Harvey Milk's speech on June 25th, 1978. This was his first Gay Pride Celebration after being elected America's first openly-gay Supervisor, and his last. 5 months later he would be assasinated in his office at City Hall.

"So, let me remind you what America is:
On the Statue lf Liberty, it says "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free..."; in the Declaration of Independence it is written "All men are created are equal and they are endowed with certain inalienable rights"; and in our national anthem, it says, "Oh say does that star-spangled banner yet wave o'er the land of the free."
For Mr. Briggs and Mrs. Bryant and Mr. Starr and all the bigots out there: That's what America is. No matter hard you try, you cannot erase those words from the Declaration of Indepencence. No matter how hard you try, you cannot chip those words from off the base of the Statue of Liberty. And no matter how hard you try you cannot sing the Star Spangled Banner without those words.
That's what America is.
Love it, or leave it."

Happy San Francisco Gay Pride 2008, everyone!

(last year's Pride Weekend posting: What would Harvey say?)

On board the plane- the guy in the window seat

I'm trying not to look at him too much... but I am intrigued. He's tall, very slender, reasonably good looking, probably in his early forties. His closely cropped hair hair is receeding in a very sexy way. Dress slacks and grey polo shirt.
I would have written him off for straight, except that he was reading an article with several pictures in it on Hayden Christensen in the in-flight magazine, and there was something else...
(I wish Aaron or Stefan was around. I'd sign 'Gay or Straight?' to them, and have an immediate second opinion.)
He adjusts his legs to get comfortable, and I notice the outline of his very muscular thighs under his slacks. A runner perhaps?
Then it hits me. His biceps and forearms are well formed but not overly muscular - but the hair on them is trimmed close. Also, his wristwatch - while definitely a Men's - is somehow more slender and stylish than your straight guy would wear. I find both his arms and his watch incredibly sexy.
Then I lean forward, and yes - his chest hair is closely trimmed (or shaved) too, just like his forearms.
Beep Beep Beep my gaydar goes.
He eventually notices me looking at him, and doesn't seem too uncomfortable or put off by it... On the contrary, his arm seems to relax and soon his elbow is comfortably touching my forearm on the armrest bewteen us.
"Something to drink?" asks the flight attendant...
(other airplane tales: New Orleans )

Ain't we lucky we got 'em?

"So do you mind cheering up a little bit?" I look over at Aaron. He's been in a pissy mood ever since I picked him up. Slouching in his seat, that half-grimace-half-pout expression.
"I AM in a cheery mood! See?!?!?!" and he gives me this artificial, teeth-clenched smile.
Smartass.
"Listen, we don't visit my grandma very often, and she doens't get a lot of visitors. Can you be a bit hospitable?" I say.
"DON'T tell me how to behave. I'm not in grade 5. Jeez."
Then quit acting like it. Aaron has quite the knack for this.
"OK, so what's wrong. I don't want to have a stressful visit with Grandma."
"I've already told you a million times. You KNOW what's wrong."
I hate this game. Fact is, I never already know what's wrong when something is wrong. And what - I'm expected to be psychic? Who the hell does he think I am? Dionne-fucking Warwick?
That last thought makes me smile, despite myself.
"Oh great. And you find this funny."
Fuuuck. "No, I don't find anything funny for Pete's sake. I'm trying my best and no, I don't know what's wrong."
"Well maybe if you listened a bit, and weren't so fucking full of yourself - Mr Andrew fucking J - you wouldn't be so -"
"I DO listen! I DO!" I say, rather loudly.
"Really? You listen? And last night when -"
"I was drunk. I don't remember what you said. And you were drunk too..."
"If you were so drunk, how come you know I was drunk?"
I roll my eyes. We're going in circles again. I just hope he doesn't do this in front of my grandmother.
(more on Andrew & Aaron: Good times ; More Good Times; and yea, we have sex too)

I'd like to buy the world a sandwich...

"What did you say?" I ask, laughing softly. Aaron's head is right next to mine on the pillow, his earlobe extremely close to my tongue.
"Nothing." I can feel him blush.
"Awww.. come on... what were you singing?" I gently kiss his earlobe.
"Uh... just... I don't know. I feel really happy right now." I can feel him smile, even though my eyes are closed. "I'd buy the world a sandwich if I could..."
I hug him close to me. I smell Aaron's scent on every inhale. I'm happy too.
"What kind of sandwich?" I press up closer to him.
"Well, hmmm..... the song was supposed to be about Coke, so..."
My toes feel his. They are cold. He needs to cut his toenails.
"Hmmmm?" I gently kiss his neck.
"Peanut butter," he says, finally. This makes me laugh. Inside. Outside, I just smile and lick his ear some more. Aaron buying peanut butter sandwiches for the entire world. The thought fills me with indescribable contentment and pride.
"And jelly," he adds. There are stars in his eyes.
Do I make you feel as good as you make me feel, Aaron?
"What kind of jelly?" I ask.