Mr. Steve Goes To Town

I had an unusual & interesting day yesterday. I am a mostly a stay-at-home guy, especially when I have a day off on my own. I will go to one of two beaches that are close by, but someone flipped the switch & the temperature in Portland went from 90s to 60s in 30 hours. I will go to the gym, the store, maybe a nursery for my plant jones, but mostly I garden, read, blog, listen to music, get stoned & enjoy my alone time.



When I am really worried about money, money problems, cash flow etc., I seem to react by finding a very deep need to go shopping. So, I got dressed up (you never know who you might meet) & I took the MAX train downtown. The commute is 18 minutes & I love riding the train. I sometimes pretend that I live in Westport & commute into Manhattan. After the 3rd stop, a woman got on & sat behind my & almost immediately commenced to conversing on her cell phone in a tone that was a tad bit short of screaming... & she was talking about NOTHING: "...oh, nothing. Just riding the train. Yeah? Bored. No, he never calls. He is such a tool. A total tool. Oh, nothing... maybe. Sorta. Maybe." I hate inappropriate cell phone use & I usually just start listening to my Ipod. I don't know how it happened, but I opened up my cell phone & said in a voice just a tad bit short of screaming: "Oh, Nothing. Just listening to this rude person behind me, she is screaming into her cell about absolutely nothing...well not nothing... I know that her boyfriend is a total tool & although she is white & straight, she is using terms like- "Biatch" & "oh no she dinuht", "oh no, do not go there" & she is finger snapping". I am thinking that I am making my point & teaching her a lesson on etiquette on public transit. Then at the Rose Quarter stop, the BIATCH got up from her seat & pushed the button to page the operator, who then appeared & the BIATCH claims that I am harassing her & "making fun of her". The driver asked for my side of the story & I said- "she was screaming on her cell phone... about NOTHING! Screaming!" The driver asked me to stop & not bother her. He went back to his little compartment. The train started. The BIATCH went back to her phone. I put on my Ipod.

Finally Downtown, I did window shop, I got 3 watches (that I love & have not worked in a year) repaired, I bought the Husband a new vest at 60% off (I loath full retail) & I walked from my job (I had to pick up some papers for "homework") to Powell's City Of Books. I purchased two books I have been itching to own- At Least In The City Someone Would Hear Me Scream by Wade Rouse & My Diva: 65 Gay Men on the Women Who Inspire Them edited by Michael Montlack. I did have a nice moment. A handsome man walked right up to me in the Gay section of Powell's, looked me in the eye, & he said- "They have an amazing gay section here! I can't believe it. My name is Roger. I'm gay. Are you gay?", I nodded yes & said- "Hello Roger, They call me Stephen". "I love Portland so much. I am only here for a few hours", said Roger. He then said- "suggestions for something to do this afternoon?". My retort: "Roger, It is real pleasure to meet you. It is always lovely to chat with a handsome stranger in the Gay section of Powell's, but I have all these things to carry, I need to walk 15 blocks to meet my husband at the penthouse that his company is designing & I am just exhausted from trying to teach some BIATCH some common courtesy." Roger walked away with real purpose.


My lesson for the day?
You can get dressed up & go to town, but you can't teach the world to have good manners.