diaries from the road

2-9-8

Everything is tax deductible on this trip. I wonder if it will make a difference, or if it will just raise a flag for he IRS. I'm in the DFW airport having a pizza and a Pepsi. My flight for Jax boards in about an hour. I'm really not all that hungry, but I would hate to miss lunch, and I do love the personal size cheese pizza with lots of red pepper flakes.

We arrived at the Casbah (on the way home from the airport) at 4:20 -- which seemed auspicious -- had hookas and beer drinks and snacks. C's friend L joined us there and we were kind of waiting around (drinking, etc.) for the regular Friday night improve thing that happens here at eight -- were quite excited about it actually -- only to realize at about 7:30 that it's Saturday. And so that's the way the evening went. The three of us walked down the street to Brick, a trendy restaurant bar with interesting clientèle and a good jazz trio (not that I'm an aficionado), then came to C's house (finally) which is really M's house (M, whom I've never met) but C is house/dog sitting. He wasn't here but his daughter and her friend and her friend's mother "M" were up in the room with the foldout couch and the big TV watching scary movies.

C called a half dozen people as we drove from Jax proper to Jax Beach. L came, and so did another yoga teacher, R, who reminded me of my Filipino fling I had here named R, and so I kept call R by the wrong name. R's not gay, and that's okay. I actually had a realization (or something). I'm working to turn off the desire in me that causes me to act in ways that cause me embarrassment. It happens around boys all the time whether they're gay or straight, even girls sometimes. And I don't think I believe there is anything wrong with the crushes, I jus want to act differently within them, not get "taken away" by them.

They drank wine (the girls). I drank water. R drank a smoothie because he's coming off of (he believes) food poisoning. We played cards -- it was fun -- then we went out and smoked a joint R had rolled, and after that the party dispersed; "M," who had come down to visit with the adults awhile before she went home, went home; L went to walk on the beach alone (because she couldn't talk any of the rest of us into going with her); R went out drinking; C and I came inside and played a couple games of Crazy 8s. It's been a busy day (we packed a lot in the past eight hours -- talk about crazy 8s) -- and who knows what tomorrow's twenty-three hours holds (I'm borrowing one for today).
2-10-8

Long night's sleep. Breakfast at the diner in Atlantic Beach was so-so (I was annoyed by their hospitable efforts of offering everyone waiting for a table a cup of coffee -- in Styrofoam). Short stack french toast with raisins sprinkled on top; two eggs not quite as ordered by fine. In the meantime, C was at yoga. After, we went to R's for a little high then back to the house so C could cook herself some red meat and I took a shower. There are certain inconveniences that one must put up with when staying away from home -- where to put bathroom accessories being one.

I think this will be a nice vacation in two-day increments.

C's quite a social bumblebee. I guess that's why I don't have many friends. I did make two calls today while waiting for C to get out of yoga, to A and to A&L, gearing up for the week to come. Maybe I should call R.
2-11-8

On a shuttlebus to Gainesville. C took her car in for alignment this morning and they found a leak in the radiator which amounted to a $650 estimate. It's actually nice to be able to sit quietly and not have to entertain anyone (though I'm on the shuttle alone and the driver keeps making comments).

R called while we were waiting for her car to be ready and I melted. He told me "for what it's worth" that he's in a very tender place right now. I want to be sure and meet him there. (I'm kind of in a tender place myself right now.)