birthday party

[thoreau]

(l to r) Bob, Janet and Meara behind the bar

So - I went to my friend David's birthday bash last evening to help set up - and ended up bartending the event. This was nice and fun - as I got to cruise just about every leatherclad friend of David's that showed up. It also fun to flex that 'service with a smile' flirtatious side of my personality.

Meara (above right in the photo, in the leather tie) was actually the head bartender - but there was a tremendous amount of gender selection going on. Dressed as I was - the men that came to the bar just asked me for drinks. In some cases - not even considering that Meara could help them as well. It was actually pretty shocking. It became a running joke for the evening. Meara started referring to herself as "the invisible woman." She and I actually had a remarkable evening together - discussing everything from gender roles to hanky colour codes to what we thought being a "daddy" when you are female meant. (and of course, what it meant to be a daddy as a man too) it was just - well - a very entertaining evening.

The entertainment was a very talented Buddhist bell ringer. He played for an hour - and it was truly amazing. Men huddled together in groups hugging and holding and eyes closed - listened to the bells ring and bowls sing. It really was quite amazing. Some of the less interested leather guys went out on the street to talk and laugh - and were very respectful of the process inside.

David - the birthday boy - then set up a suspension scene.. where he was suspended in shackles and a blindfold - and folks were encouraged to come up - tell folks something special about their relationship with him - or advice to him on hitting his 5th decade. It was a nice mix of bondage and eroticism with an need from the recipient to hear those things from friends and brothers and sisters in that space. As David described it - although he's turning 50 - he has lots of "boy energy" left to explore.

I love having David as a workout partner - as I probably wouldn't be been party to such an event. I had a great time. I met some new friends - enjoyed watching existing friends truly enjoy themselves - and then came home - (god my feet hurt!) - and collapsed. and slept dreamlessly for 8 hours.

a great time all the way around.