The Big Weekend

Friday, wanting to beat the traffic, I arrived at Evelyn’s in the early afternoon. Much to my surprise there were six tops and a skirt hanging outside my locker. I deduced that this was Crystal’s work and proceeded to try on everything. It all fit!!!!!! I am sooo glad that Crystal is in such good shape (her clothes fit me) and that she loves to shop (she has to get rid of clothes so she can fit the new ones in her lockers). It is like having a big sister! I love all the clothes, but now I can’t fit them all in my locker. I can’t believe that I have gone from a few outfits to overflowing in seven weeks! Well if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the closet……wait that’s how all this started.  

So, of course, I wore one of my new tops! Leona was driving down for Crystal’s party and decided to make a weekend out of it. She called from Oceanside as we were walking over to Top of the Park to meet up with Alex. She would join us for dinner at Lei Lounge……I know almost every week, but we like it there…..and Leona hasn’t been..…and if we have five we can get a cabana.  We found Alex as soon as we arrived at the Top. He was so cute in his fedora, always smiling; he has become a welcome companion anytime he can join us. Top of the Park was cool, no, cold; still too cold, ten stories up on the roof for skirts and thin tops. So, when my shivering bones began making too much noise for us to talk over, we went back inside. We didn’t see many people we knew, but we were having so much fun talking to Alex that we really didn’t cruise, much.

We picked up Teresa at David’s and headed to Lei Lounge. No cabanas were open when we arrived, so we would have to wait a little, but that was OK since Leona was not there, yet, and they won’t seat four in a cabana. We visited with our new friend Nick, the bar manager, and found out he couldn’t come to the party Sunday. When a cabana opened, we four were seated….hey, we’re Celebes….besides, how can you say no to a really tall girl with a really big smile. Leona arrived shortly, looking like a million dollars, not like six hours of driving. I don’t know how she does it.  

This evening’s “Drunk Girl” was a guy!!! He stumbled up, on his wayward way back to the bar and asked if he could sit at the end of the cabana, next to me. I moved my purse and he sat thanking me. After a few seconds, he asked me if I was a TV.     Damn…busted..... perceptive chap. So, I told him I was and he said he was looking for a party. Wahoo!!! I said we were just here for dinner, so he asked where he could find a tranny bar. I told him that SRO was on 5^th, just north of downtown and he thanked me stumbling off mumbling “5^th Avenue”.  By the time we finished eating and met back at David’s, it was midnight. Everyone was tired and we were just starting the Big Weekend, so we decided to call it a night.  

After Crystal changed back to drab and left I decided that I would go next door and visit with Rusty and Raven, who hold court there every Friday. I thought it would be a good idea to visit with them as they are joining us next Wednesday at DreamGirls’ Revue. Walking in, I recognized nobody, but hoped that they were on the patio. Entering the patio, I spotted them. Rusty was surrounded by the boys and we waved to each other as I approached. When the boys all saw me, they all shouted out “Hey”…..that felt wonderful. Rusty asked Raven to put some songs on the jukebox and he took half the boys to go pick songs and dance, while she and I had a really nice chat and a Cosmopolitan.  

Saturday was pretty wild. Crystal, Leona and I had dinner at Arrivederci dressed in appropriate clothing; I went for the secretary look. After dinner, we changed to go dancing. I went for the secretary in the slutty, short skirt look. We were unsure where we were going to go; Bobby was begging us to come to Montage and Tricia said she might be able to get us on the guest list at Rich’s. Just as we were pulling out of the parking lot for Evelyn’s, Alex called and asked what we were doing. We stopped by to pick him up and decided on Montage because Bobby said he would get us all in free.  Of course at 10:30, it was still slow at Montage, but that gave us a chance to show Leona around. We found a new place on the dance floor directly under an A/C vent and waited for the crowd.

When we had first entered the club, some random guy standing there said to Crystal, with great perception and a smile, “Wow, are you taller than me?” She smiled and he kinda flirted with her. Later, while we chatted waiting for the crowd, the random guy passed by and motioned for Crystal to follow him upstairs. He told her that he had a friend for her to meet. They walk up to this buff, hot guy whose shirt he pulls open and grabbing Crystal’s hands, places them on his well defined six-pack and rock hard pecs. Being the lady that she is, she immediately considered removing her hands. She certainly did not want to offend or insult him. So she decided that she should fondle him for awhile out of politeness. I will leave to the reader’s imagination the extent of her good manners. She came downstairs with a big smile on her face and told us she had an amazing story.

The dance floor had filled up, some, so she went straight to the A/C spot and began to dance. I don’t know if she was giving off some kind of a vibe, but after only a short time two girls danced over and started dancing with her. They began fondling her breasts, saying they just had to see what they felt like and what they were made from and yadda, yadda, fondle, yadda. As you can imagine, Crystal was the epitome of politeness, possibly returning a fondle or two.  Amazing story number two.

Tricia showed up as we began to dance and we introduced her to Leona and Alex, who she found very interesting. She brought Espy with her, so we had a crowd of our own, now. So, we danced, danced, danced. Well, they did…your humble scribe, having learned her lesson on Wednesday, sat out every other song and wiggled her toes, and took trips to the Ladies Room to primp, and just walk around the huge club. It is really, really fun, walking around the club (one of just six “girls” in the club), smiling at everyone and feeling all girly. Oh! I just realized: almost everyone in the club was 30 years younger than this girly girl…….Oh well, like my heroine Scarlett says, I’ll think about that tomorrow.

Anyway, as I was flaunting my ass around the club, who should I run into at the rooftop bar but Chad Michaels, Adam Magee (stage manager & costume designer) and some of the bartenders from Mo’s. One of Mo’s boys said he was sooo excited to see me, and I was like “really?” and they all gushed and hugged and kissed my cheeks saying sweet things. I told them that we were all downstairs and to come see Crystal. Then I tottered off, winding my way back down to the group to tell my tale. And soon enough they show up and start waving to Crystal and calling her over (I’m toe wiggling) and they all hug and kiss and the excited boy from Mo’s starts dancing with Crystal. Well, by this time Bobby, the club’s promotion manager, is dancing with us. So, we danced, danced, danced until way late. On the way home, they brought up my toe wiggling and I explained why. Crystal commented that when she “hit the wall”, she just powered through the pain and kept dancing, but she almost didn’t make it to the car. 

Sunday came too soon. Is that a song lyric? I’m so tired. It sounds like a song lyric. Six hours of sleep and two cups of espresso and I’m in the shower and only one nick and the band-aid will be covered by my pants. OMG, I’m going out in the daylight!!!!! Crystal’s Birthday Party is at Mo’s at 3:00. Kim and her friend from LA, Sara, are coming to Evelyn’s at 1:30. Crystal might need me to get the cake. OMG, OMG, I’m running around in circles trying to get to Evelyn’s as soon as possible. Ya know it is probably for the best, too tired to focus too clearly and adrenaline propelling me forward.

I get to Evelyn’s way early and can leisurely dress and chat with Crystal. Everything works out: Kim shows up on time, Teresa is getting the cake, Sara’s changing in her car on the freeway and will be here at 2:45, Larry from next door can lock up after Kim & Sara so I can help greet people at the party, I run into Rich on the way out and say we will see each other at the party, and all of a sudden I am parking my car and paying the fee and walking down the street in the middle of the afternoon!!!!! It feels sooooo good. There is a bounce in my step and elsewhere, if you know what I mean. I’m proud, head held high and confident and tripping over that crack….I’m OK…still confident, just watching my step with my head held high. Right up to Mo’s, saying “hi” to the doormen whom all I know and into the bar, smiling at the looky-loo’s and proceed to the dance floor. Where else would Crystal have a party?

I run into Rich, again, and he reminds me that today is actually the first time he has seen Paulina; we met and saw each other a couple of times, all while I was in drab. We talk for quite a while and he pays me some very nice compliments. I drift over to Rusty & Raven and am enveloped in warmth and acceptance and more compliments ….all of a sudden there are Richard, Antonio, and Alex: more hugs and compliments. Wait......whose party is this? Then, I spot Crystal. She is mobbed; tearing herself away from one adoring crowd to be engulfed by another. She has had less sleep than I, but is like the Energizer Bunny, working the room, smiling and having a grand time. It is definitely her party.

Soon, I see Lorraine from Arizona; she emailed us, out of the blue, at the beginning of the week that she was coming to SD for vacation and would like to go out. Crystal invited her to the party and she showed up! She looks so good, perfectly made up for an afternoon tea, she could go anywhere. We had a nice long talk and got to know one another. I really like her.

Tricia arrived, and then, so did Han (who, interestingly, spells his name “Ang”!! Go figure… oh well, he’s fun to dance with anyway). Then, there was the food…no, the buffet!!! And, the cake….big cake. And all the iced tea we could drink. That was very good…needed the iced tea.

But, too soon the iced tea was losing the battle. I said “Bye” to Crystal and then made my rounds. Alex and Lorraine promised to be at DreamGirls Revue to lend moral support. Tricia already has a table and Rusty & Raven are already coming with us.  

So, I walked out into the afternoon sun, head held high, but with one eye on the cracks.