Bummer!

I have finally arrived home following a very full day at the office and then having to rush off to a board of directors meeting for my homeowners association. I am the secretary -- a position I have held since 1995.

Perhaps it is me being tired -- overly so. But I'm a bit blue tonight.

Jim did not call or email me today.

And I have observed some of the people in my sphere who have partnered up. I'm feeling very much like the fifth wheel. I look at them and I wonder what is wrong with me. I would love to have someone in my life...but it ain't happening.

So I don't know.

It ain't good feeling this way.

Frank's Adventures Continue!

I suppose I'm getting bolder with letting people know how I feel. I'm also being braver about striking conversations with complete strangers.

Tonight I pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store across the street from my house. Almost immediately this bautiful young man pulls up alongside me in a bright shiny new BMW. He had to be in his mid-twenties. But when he stopped, his passenger window was down, and he looked over. He did that eye lock thing.

I did too!

So I watched him out of the corner of my eye. So, I played a little game with myself. My goal? Get him to talk to me!

If it was convenient.

Well, as luck would have it, he was waiting in the self-checkout line as I approached. I decided to fall in line behind him. I got a full look at him.... He looked like a god. He was totally built....humongous muscles....GOSH.

His iPod was firmly planted in his pocket with his earphones plugged into his ears. So, I got up really close to him...and whispered in his ear. "What kinda car is that you're driving? Man, that thing is sharp!"

He looked up at me and grinned really big...."It's a BMW....(something or other....I was just tickled that I got to hear his voice)...."

"How long have you had it?" I asked.

"About two years."

"Great looking car I said."

We then went to our respective spots....and it happened that I was able to check out before him. So I was quite aways from him...and he followed me up the aisle to our cars.

"I wonder if he will say something..." I wondered.

I was loading my groceries in my back seat as he passed by.

"Have a great evening!" He said cheerily.

"I will," I answered. "You take care of that care and be safe."

"Oh I will."

And he was gone.

SCORE!

It doesn't take much to make the old gay guy happy!

********

On a more serious note. I was invited to a gay party last night that I decided at the last minute to go to. A number of my buddies was going to be there, and I decided to go. Just for the heck of it...and to further get buried in the gay social whirl.

The party was in a town considered part of the metro area of DC. Twenty-three gay men were there. A lot of guys I knew....but there were several I did not know.

So, I made my way around the room and shook hands with people. I did my best party animal impression by being outgoing and friendly and trying to be friendly. It is so very stressful because at heart I am quite shy.

But if it is one thing I have learned...it's that in order to survive as a single gay male, you have to get out there and show yourself friendly.

I was VERY busy last night mingling.

Just before dinner was served, the doorbell rang and another guest showed up.

My jaw nearly hit the floor. I felt an immediate connection. It wasn't lust....although he was quite attractive. But there was something about this man that clicked deeply inside me. It made me think....there is my partner. The one I have been looking for.

I had never felt that about anyone before.

Immediately though, the negative thoughts and feelings started. "Oh, he won't give you the time of day, Frank." "Give it up!" "He's out of your league fella."

Well, I watched him. And he sat right next to me. Everytime we spoke. He gave me the look and we locked eyes! So, in my heart of hearts, I decided, what do I have to lose? Let's see if there is anything to this that I have feeling deep inside me.

So during our conversation I gently pumped him for information. I found out that he works in finance...and I told him that I work for a bank regulator. He said that he had just broken up with an older man after they had been together for 7 months. The old guy was running around on him. I also learned that my new friend had a name. It's Jim. He's 39. He likes older men.

I said, "Jim, your partner was running around with younger guys when he had you at home?" He blushed and said, "Yes, he did. The real pathetic thing is that I begged him to not do it and come back home to me. But he won't."

Hmmmmmmm I thought.

He went on.

"Before that relationship, I have only been partnered one other time. My first one was a ten year relationship....and it ended because that guy was running around and doing drugs."

I just shook my head.

"Jim, you could have your pick of men."

He smiled again.

Gosh that beautiful smile could light up the entire metro area for a hundred years.

We chatted back and forth with the other guests...but I always made it a point to look at Jim...make that deep eye contact and smile.

As the evening wound down...and people were beginning to leave. Jim started telling everyone goodbye...and that he was getting ready to leave. In my mind, I could not just let him go without doing something.

I found a piece of paper and I carry a pen. I wrote down my cell phone number and my personal email address. I followed him to the front door and I said, "Jim, just a second. Please forgive me for being too forward, but I want you to have this."

I handed him the paper with my info on it.

"I have NEVER done this...and to be honest, it's taking a lot of guts for me to do this. But here's my telephone number and my email address. I would love to take you to dinner and get to know you better."

He smiled.

"I'll shoot you an email."

I said, "That would make my day if you would."

He smiled and pecked me on the cheek.

It was so very wonderful to meet this guy.

So far he has not called or written. And to be honest, he may not. But at least I have made the contact and not done what I have done so many times before....wait for the other person to make the first move.

Gosh, I hope he calls or writes. I feel so strongly about him, I don't know what to do!

I'm Gaining Confidence Y'all

Had a fun experience on Saturday Night I thought I would share.

However, let me say first that something has been evolving within me for the past few weeks. I have discussed it on some of the support groups online that I am a part of. We had discussed how to know if a man was gay...or how to communicate you're interested. It was decided that it was the look that you give the other man....or the look the other man gives you. I've been practicing my look....and have found that indeed it does seem to work. I used it at the nightclub on Saturday night. Here's my story:

A couple of my friends from church invited me to go to a nightclub that features male strippers. It is a relatively new club that features really hot men who get totally naked. They also do lap dances! Now, in all of my 51 years, I have never been to such a place... and have never received a lap dance. As I entered the club, I mustered up my confidence and courage. I made sure my posture was tall and straight. I walked in confidently and started looking around the place. The dancers were already on their pedestals and I began making unblinking eye contact with the bartenders and some of the strippers.

My friends and I found a nice couch and sat and watched this beautiful young man do his thing. He turned and looked at me and I gave hime the look and smiled. To my amazement, he smiled back broadly and came over to me and introduced himself. I shook his hand and he began dancing for me. I complimented him and soon he was on top of the couch with his body parts just a few inches from me. He then buried his face in the nape of neck and he whispered how good I smelled.

I tipped him and he was gone to others, but he kept looking over at me and winking.

Near the end of the evening I saw him dancing on the bar. I got up closer to watch, but out of the whole crowd of guys, he saw me. He grinned broadly at me and motioned for me to come closer. He then squatted down in front of me. I smiled and thanked him for making my first time there so special. He put a hand on both my shoulders. I looked into his beautiful eyes and said that of all the dancers I had watched during the evening, he was my favorite--hands down. He gave me that smile again, drew me closer, and thanked me. He also said it was easy to dance for me because of just how cute I was. He held me close then kissed my cheek!

I told him to stay safe and I floated into the crowd.

I then saw another couple of my friends in another part of the club. It has been a year since I saw them. They saw me and were glad to see me. One said, "Frank, I don't know what you have done to yourself, but damn you are looking hot tonight!"

I am amazed.

I realize that I was in a nightclub with dancers looking for tips. But that dancer was tremendously kind to me.

My friends were not looking for money, and they saw something different in me.

So something is happening and I am getting a tremendous kick out of it.

Perhaps I will meet someone special after all.

Fractured Toe

Well, yesterday I was running around trying to get all the stuff I needed for church. I ran into the corner of my clothes hamper which was at the foot of my bed. It hurt like hell. But I continued on. I rounded up all the stuff I needed. Got dressed and arrived at the church at 9:30 a.m. to prepare to do some video taping before everyone arrived so that I can make a host of promotional videos for the church's Web site.

It was a very long day. I did video footage of some of the proceedings. I also did some still photo work. I did not get home until late in the afternoon. As I was trying to get ready for a nap, (I had gone to a gay night club on Satuday night and stayed out until after 2am), my foot found the barbells my daughter had left in the middle of the floor of the rec room. The same toe was involved. When I arose from my nap, the toe in question was black and blue. It continued to hurt.

This morning I saw my internist....who was very concerned about the toe. She sent me to a radiologist. The radiologist hurt the toe further in trying to prepare it for xray.....my doctor saw the xray and made me go to the podiatrist immediately. The podiatrist determined that I had two fracture in that toe....I have it taped.....and wearing a special boot and am hobbling around the house. I am told to stay home from work tomorrow and keep my foot elevated.

Bummer.

The Intensity of Loneliness

I've spent some significant time the last little while with gay men who were, like me, once married to women, have children, and are now busily trying to find their way in a new situation as a somewhat out gay man.

They all said that they have had their moments of intense loneliness. "It's the kind of loneliness that cuts to the core of your very being," one said.

I have reflected on this comment for quite sometime since I heard its utterance.

It is very true.

I find myself going through periods of intense loneliness. It just isn't fun. It's not something that everyone can understand unless they, themselves, are going through it.

During my more lucid moments when things are alright....and I'm feeling good about myself, like right this moment as I am typing this, I have come to the conclusion that I am not ready for a full-time partner....or live in boyfriend. I think I would be open to date someone exclusively and have occasional sleepovers. But not the move-in type.

I am just not ready.

I have heard to many gay guys tell me that there is no way that two gay men can be monogamous to each other. They say that it is not good to lay the heterosexual paradigm of monogamy on top of the gay life. I have been told by so many people that this is not the norm in the gay world. Other men I have chatted with say, "Au contraire, it can happen."

So, as I have journeyed on this road to identifying potential boyfriends, I am somewhat afraid to commit to anyone. My motor just runs too hot....and I often wonder if I am good partner quality.

Tme will tell.

Perhaps I just think too much!