Silver & gold
Been trying not to think about myself so much lately, but while I'm here in the mandated navel-gazing zone let me get it out of my system. I like making new friends but it doesn't occur to me so much to stay in touch with the old ones. It feels like a given that life will take us in separate directions as quickly as it brought us together, and any commitment more permanent than that would feel forced. When I stay friends with someone for more than a few years, it's because they're the kind of person who stays in touch, like Kristie Bledsoe. I appreciate that they're willing to make all the effort, but I've never considered being like that. But lately I've realized that most of the people around me have old friends they talk to, like Maryam with that Irish guy in New York, and Chelsea Driver with her college friends, Tyler with his Valdosta people, and Graham with his Decatur people. Anyway, Travis called me drunk a few weeks ago and after at least a decade without contact we talked until the wee hours. We'd never intended to stop being friends, I never even realized we weren't. He still keeps up with Josie, who's actually transitioning and anyways just Jo now, and their birthday happened to be coming up a few days later- I never forget April 9th because it's my favorite number and the best month of the year- so I initiated a text conversation- our first contact since the time they came and visited me at the big house in 2013. And they asked if they'd said or done something to put me off being their friend for so long, but of course they hadn't- I never really thought about it but if you'd asked me a couple months ago I'd probably say our relationship had just run its course. And shortly after Jo and I started texting, Drake called them and I think even visited them in Savannah because his partner was having an art show there. Something's in the air, I guess. Anyway, I reserved an RV for the fourth of July and I'm gonna drive over to Savannah with the dogs and see Jo and Travis and meet their respective kids and spouses. And today I went back to the gym after being away so long, and I got so much love, especially from Reggis, and at first I kinda wrote it off because that's the most effective strategy for keeping clients, but even if that's true, I still felt that they actually missed me and I'd missed them, and I belong there. Tyler and Graham and I are having our first Blammo practice next week. I'm so excited, I have lyrics and a bass line for our first song back, and I framed some old magazine pinups of Rock Hudson for Tyler and I'm so excited to give them to him. He told me last week after Riboflavin practice that he was sorry he left me alone when Margot died, and I cried and hugged him for a long time. Maryam's taking her annual trek to Canada for the summer but I got a first-edition factory-sealed Survivor: The Tribe Has Spoken card game for when she comes back. I should probably cool it on eBay. Other old friends I've talked to lately: Genesis (formerly Elaine) and Brittany Hester Old friends I want to reach out to now that I've warmed up with cold calling: Stephanie, Connie, Matty, Devi, and Allison. Drake? New friendships I want to nurture: KT & Brandon Stewart :)