Ta Gui La
A close friend of mine, Chip, whom I have known for years and years and years, was recently transferred from his office in Peoria, Illinois, to an office in Beijing. The one in China.
For no particular reason, this made me remember a trip he and I made to Toronto several years back. Now before I tell you the rest of that story, let me give you a little background on my experience with Toronto.
In a prior job, I was in Toronto several times a years for business. It is a wonderful city. I love it. I could live there. But whenever I have gone out to a gay bar, someone has always followed me back to the hotel. I don't know if it is courtesy--to keep me from walking the streets of a strange city alone. Or is it a presumption/expectation of something more? I simply haven't figured it out. In these trips from years ago, I sometimes invited to my room the kind person who safely saw me to the hotel. Sometimes I didn't. Only rarely did these visits become anything more than just a visit. (One of these days, I'll tell the story of William--1st runner up at the "Best Chest" contest at Woody's.)
Now back to the trip when Chip joined me in Toronto. We had gone to a nightclub--I can't remember which one, and we had a grand ole time. Chip was ready to leave before I was, though, so he went on back to the hotel. He wasn't followed.
Soon after, I returned to the hotel. I was followed. I did not want to pursue any extracurricular activities with this person, but his "puppy dog" eyes made me utter an invitation to come up and visit for a while. So we get to the room. Chip and the guest begin talking to each other. Before I know it, I am fast asleep. When I wake up the next morning, the guest was gone and Chip was smiling. He filled me in on enough of the details for me to piece together that Chip did pursue extracurricular activities. One bed away from me. And I slept through it all.
That's just one quick story about Chip--and there are so many--but he is now telling a much bigger story about being a simple, Alabama boy who now lives halfway around the world through the magic of a blog. I have added the link to the right. It is "No Place Like Home." I think you will appreciate his writing as well as empathize with his daily challenges to assimilate. Or something. Enjoy!
For no particular reason, this made me remember a trip he and I made to Toronto several years back. Now before I tell you the rest of that story, let me give you a little background on my experience with Toronto.
In a prior job, I was in Toronto several times a years for business. It is a wonderful city. I love it. I could live there. But whenever I have gone out to a gay bar, someone has always followed me back to the hotel. I don't know if it is courtesy--to keep me from walking the streets of a strange city alone. Or is it a presumption/expectation of something more? I simply haven't figured it out. In these trips from years ago, I sometimes invited to my room the kind person who safely saw me to the hotel. Sometimes I didn't. Only rarely did these visits become anything more than just a visit. (One of these days, I'll tell the story of William--1st runner up at the "Best Chest" contest at Woody's.)
Now back to the trip when Chip joined me in Toronto. We had gone to a nightclub--I can't remember which one, and we had a grand ole time. Chip was ready to leave before I was, though, so he went on back to the hotel. He wasn't followed.
Soon after, I returned to the hotel. I was followed. I did not want to pursue any extracurricular activities with this person, but his "puppy dog" eyes made me utter an invitation to come up and visit for a while. So we get to the room. Chip and the guest begin talking to each other. Before I know it, I am fast asleep. When I wake up the next morning, the guest was gone and Chip was smiling. He filled me in on enough of the details for me to piece together that Chip did pursue extracurricular activities. One bed away from me. And I slept through it all.
That's just one quick story about Chip--and there are so many--but he is now telling a much bigger story about being a simple, Alabama boy who now lives halfway around the world through the magic of a blog. I have added the link to the right. It is "No Place Like Home." I think you will appreciate his writing as well as empathize with his daily challenges to assimilate. Or something. Enjoy!
posted by Michael Vernon at Wednesday, January 24, 2007
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