By Scott King
Photos courtesy of joining Hearts (2017 Joining Hearts Flirt Pool Party)
“Hello. How are you doing? You are very cute and handsome. We should be boyfriends.”
Unfortunately, I do not know how to say, “It is okay, friend. I am just kidding.”
Poor hombre. Quien es tu, papi?
After that, he got real introverted really quickly. It’s almost as if he was scared of me. Isn’t that hilarious? Why, I wouldn’t even hurt a fly.
Think about it from his perspective. He comes to this country with hopes and dreams of making a living and making a life. All to be ruined by some dude who’s twice his size and with twice the panache, selling him into an underground prostitution ring.
I would never do that to you, boo. It’s summertime. It’s time to get out. It’s time to take a drive with a very nervous Uber driver. He showed me the back roads no pun intended of West Midtown. I love that part of town, all the industrial wasteland. We ended up right over by the Amtrak station. It was love at first bite.
He dropped me off. I said thank you very much. He said you’re welcome. Have a good night. I think his not speaking English was fake news.
I prefer walking down the street with my friends, especially when they are not white or a good deal of them are not originally from the US, which is number one. I’m not on any sort of PC diversity bandwagon; it’s just the flow of my life.
It’s beautiful.
Joining Hearts, July 21, at Piedmont Park, is a sea of beautiful bodies. It’s also a sea of beautiful alcohol for beautiful souls. As long as you are a beautiful soul you should encounter plenty of new and old friends. Be nice. Give us smile. Give a hug. Don’t give any shade.
After the 4th or 5th free drink, it’s easy to go to a different place in your head. And not even know it.
Haha gurl. You’re such a slut lololololol. Good to see you, though. Okay byyyyye.
Shake it off.
Be beautiful, like the night sky. Be hot, like the weather. Don’t be stealing my sunshine.
It’s called Joining Hearts. Not tearing them apart.
Before you know it, there will be fireworks in the sky, showing you how to be beautiful and noisy without hurting anyone.
Come on, show us what you’re worth.
Be worthy of all of those who came before you, whether they be martyrs or pop stars. Be worthy of queer history. Be worthy of the entirety of the LGBT civil rights movement. Be worthy of your best friends. Be worthy of your lovers. Be worthy of the future. Be worthy of the past. Be worthy of the resplendent present moment.
Be fiery. Like the electricity that powers the lights on the dance floor. Like the spark that ignites the revolution. Like the lights that make the night sky beautiful. Like the sun that gives us life.
And werque! Like the whirling dervish channeling the divine. Like the Occupy demonstrators refusing to cede ground. Like the West Village construction worker, building a mystery. Like a Drag Race finalist, with butterflies in her net.
Choosing oh so carefully, with .
See you at the fireworks.
