Some People Want Change

Yesterday afternoon I took a walk with a friend around Denver’s RiNo neighborhood. It’s a hip place northeast of downtown. We enjoyed a takeout dinner from Shake Shack. My friend is the guy who just wanted to be friends. It was an enjoyable time. I saw these signs in one of the storefronts.

Read Full Post »

A Friday Night Adventure

Friday night turned into an adventure I couldn’t have predicted.

We met at a neighborhood gay bar on South Broadway. Bruce and CJ were late as Bruce is never on time. The conversation flowed easier than expected. I thought things were going to be tense given Bart is interested in CJ, while CJ is seeing Bruce. Bruce is a master of conversation so there was never a lull. We worked out the details of Guns and Gays, our next adventure together. Bart’s firm designed a local gun range so we’ll be able to get a discount. I’m the only one who does not own a gun.

Bruce was sitting next to me at the high top. He occasionally rubbed his leg against mine while CJ sat across from him. I acted as if nothing was going on. Bruce informed us he wants to buy the mid-engine corvette when it comes out. Two weeks ago Bruce’s father shipped a new jeep to him. Bruce kept it for a week before he shipped it back to Iowa as he didn’t like the way it drove. Bart tried to convince Bruce to buy the new Tesla roadster that’s coming out but Bruce was not having it.

After an hour we decided to get dinner. We hopped into Bruce’s Range Rover. I purposely got in the back seat as to not encourage Bruce. Bruce decided he needed to stop at his favored dispensary. We drove across town even though several dispensaries were within blocks. We arrived at the dispensary five minutes after it closed. Bruce jumped back on the highway and headed downtown. Oddly, the traffic was light. We’re downtown in minutes as Bruce has a heavy foot and the Range Rover’s 5.0 liter supercharged V8 complied. The next thing I know Bruce pulled into the parking garage of his building. The parking garage was a sea of high-end cars and SUVs. Bruce parked in the middle of the two spaces allocated to his apartment.

Instead of walking down the block to the restaurant, we headed up to Bruce’s apartment. I made a pit stop in the bathroom off the entrance hall. When I joined the others in the living room, Bruce was holding a blunt he pulled of the bowl of blunts that sits on the credenza. Why did we have to go to the dispensary when there was an ample supply? The blunt was passed around. Forty minutes later dinner was finally ordered. I picked up the dinner tab. Way too much food was ordered but I’m feeling good and really didn’t care. It was a fun night and everyone was getting along. After an hour the concierge called to advise dinner had arrived. CJ, Bart and I set the dining room table while Bruce retrieved the food.

We ate dinner while we enjoyed the lights of the downtown cityscape through the floor to ceiling windows in the dining room. The food was cold and mediocre. I expected a better quality given I’ve dropped $150. None of us were feeling any pain and we were hungry so we ate. The conversation was mostly about guns and architecture, an odd combination.

After dinner, CJ started drinking coffee. Soon it was close to midnight. I wondered how this evening was going to end. My car was at the bar and we were downtown. Bruce was in no condition to drive. I was getting ready to order an Uber when CJ offered to drive Bart and me back to my car even though he lived in the opposite direction.

We said good night to Bruce. Bruce kissed me and gave me hug which lasted a little longer than it should have. I didn’t mind as he felt really good to hold.

We piled into CJ’s Volvo SUX for the drive back to the bar. We had polite conversation along the way. Twenty minutes later we pulled into the bar’s parking lot. My car was the only one there.

My phone buzzed on the drive home letting me know a text arrived. I read the text after Bart left my house. It was from Bruce. It said, “I should have asked you stay”.

Read Full Post »

It’s A Small Town

I had tentative plans to hit the gallery opening tonight with Bart, Bruce and CJ (Bruce and CJ are involved). Unfortunately, there are no gallery openings tonight. Gallery openings have been severely reduced during the pandemic. We decided to meet for drinks at a bar on South Broadway which has a sizeable outdoor area allowing for social distancing. Last night, Bart informs me that CJ has been one of his FWBs for several years. Could this town be any smaller? It looks like it’s going to be an interesting evening.

Read Full Post »

A Special Place In Hell

What the fuck is wrong with people? They will push a shopping cart around a store and then out to their car. Why do they leave the cart in the middle of the parking lot instead of walking 30 more feet to return the cart the collection point? The carts are on an incline. If the wind picks up they will be blown into someone’s car. There’s a special place in hell for lazy people who do this. I pushed the carts back to the store entrance so they would not careen into my car or hit the Audi in the picture.

Read Full Post »

No End in Sight

This picture was taken from the second floor of Space Gallery last night. The smoke and haze from the forest fires (now 5) enable spectacular sunsets every night. Although this one was more dramatic in person a few minutes later.
I was in conversation so I couldn’t capture a better image. Some evenings I feel like I’m in a sci-fi movie. There seems to be no end in sight to the fires.

Read Full Post »

Another Layer of Trauma

I’m sure you’ve seen the California fires on the news. Have you seen any news coverage of the fires in Colorado? Currently there are five forest fires burning with little containment. Interstate 70, a major east/west route for commerce, has been closed for over a week. The smell of burning evergreens never seems to go away. Relentless temperatures in the 90s with no rain. Rain seems like a distant memory. We’re in the home stretch of summer in a pandemic. The fires are adding another layer of trauma to an already dismal year.

Read Full Post »

A Day Long Adventure

Bruce (now 29) sent a group text on Friday to invite me and two other guys to the Botanic Garden followed by lunch afterward. I hadn’t heard from Bruce for almost two months. I confirmed my attendance.

I me the guys at the Botanic Garden on Saturday morning. Sean was the younger of the two guys. He’s a psychologist in his mid-thirties who moved here from Atlanta. He is the epitome of a southern gentleman. The other was CJ, a business consultant in his late fifties. I was relieved to learn that CJ and Bruce are involved. It was going to be a great day. I could relax and enjoy socializing with Bruce without having to worry about rekindling his interest in me.

Sean and CJ are really great guys and fun to socialize with. The day turned into an adventure I could not have expected.

After the Botanic Garden tour we had lunch downtown at Rio Grande which is known for killer margaritas. Lunch lasted several hours. The food was tasty and the drinks were strong. Really strong. I was glad I was not driving.

After lunch we ended up at Bruce’s place. The remainder of the afternoon was spent lounging in the pool while enjoying drinks on the roof of Bruce’s apartment, a stone throw from Union Station. The sky was hazing from the forest fire smoke. The sun had an odd orange glow all day.

CJ and I were the oldest ones there. There were about a dozen other residents at the pool who were either late twenties or early thirties. All were friendly and accommodating. Most had moved from other cities in the last year. A few didn’t work but were looking for opportunities. Cleary, they were the young rich of Denver. How else could they afford $8,000 a month apartments so early in their careers or without a job?

After several hours at pool we decided to adjourn to Bruce’s apartment and order in dinner. More drinks and a blunt were enjoyed. I drank water as I was feeling somewhat dehydrated and had to drive home later. CJ graciously picked up the dinner tab.

After dinner we lounged on the leather sectional in the living room with most of the lights turned off, allowing us to enjoy the killer view and night lights of the cityscape. Bruce curated the music which played in the background while we talked. We had interesting and stimulating conversation.

Sean and I left a little after eleven. He had ubered to Bruce’s place so I dropped him off at his apartment in Uptown on the way home. We make tentative plans to hand out again as friends.

It was a most enjoyable day. A vacation from my usual weekend life. I spent twelve hours with the guys. We talked, we laughed, we drank, we got stoned and we ate two meals. It felt good to know Bruce found a great guy. They complement each other. While only a few years younger than me, CJ clearly feels comfortable with Bruce and Bruce with CJ. I’ll be able to have a friendship with Bruce without having to be concerned with denying romantic approaches. It feels good to have him back in my life.

Read Full Post »

There’s Always An Ask

Mike invited me over on Sunday afternoon to hang out at one of the pools in his neighborhood. I blew off the gym and headed south. With Mike there’s always something he needs help with and Sunday was no different. Mike asked me to shave his back. Upstairs we go the master bath. Standing in the immense shower with clippers in hand I start to work. I couldn’t help wonder when Mike’s back go so hairy. I thought the clippers were going to lose their charge. I suggested he invest in laser hair removal.

Freshly shorn, we drive over to the pool. The crowd is mostly young families with children. We find chaises and settle in. There’s a handful of young DILFs to watch.

Mike and I have a good talk. He’s been single for a few months now. He tells me his last boyfriend unlocked his iPhone by holding the phone up to his face while he was taking a nap. The guy didn’t like what he found. The ensuring argument ended with a break up. Mike wouldn’t elaborate as to what the guy found. I’m guessing it was texts with another guy.

Exercise caution with your iPhone if you’re cheating on your partner. I wonder if the guy from the gym who blocked me has an iPhone.

Read Full Post »

It’s Not Cheating….

The guy from the gym sent me a message letting me know he is still interested. I asked when his husband transitioned to a woman. He didn’t get it. I had to explain that he told me was in an open relationship with a man. I asked if the woman was his wife or girlfriend. She’s his live-in girlfriend. She doesn’t know he plays with guys. He told me it wasn’t cheating because it’s with a guy. I told him it wasn’t going to happen. To me, it is still cheating. He blocked me. End of story.

Read Full Post »

Busted

I’ve been chatting with guy online for about two months. He wants to meet but our schedules never align. His profile says he’s in an open relationship. He told me he and his husband have different interests so they opened their relationship. I often find open relationship is code for cheating on the side. He’s online at odd times and never for long periods which only makes me suspicious. He’s interesting so I’ve kept up the conversation even though I never intend to meet him.

I get a message from him while I’m at the gym on Saturday. He’s 50 ft. away which means he’s at the gym. The only guy who resembles his picture is working out with a woman. He may be in an open relationship but his husband is really a woman. He asked me not to approach him. He knew he was busted. I finish my work out and leave.

I haven’t blocked him. I want to hear his explanation if he ever contacts me again. I don’t intend to meet him outside of the gym. Clearly, he’s not been truthful about a lot of thigs.

Read Full Post »