Str8 Boys Need Love Too - Old Friends

Left to right: Brian and James.

Don't ask me why, but I have decided the soundtrack to this post would be the music of Sacha Sacket, if for no other reason than I like it and think James might as well, so don't ask questions and just hit play and read.




Along with going to see Million Dollar Quartet, I was hoping to meet up with some old friends. I met Brian in the 80s when we were both doing freelance work for industrial trade shows, and we got along well from the start. We did many a job, along with another friend, Mal. Soon after he moved to the city, James joined out little group, having stumbled upon us and not running in shear terror. Hey, in those hectic times on jobs, that was all it took. Both were married when I met them, although I didn't hold it against them. Back in those days, I tended to be surrounded by breeders, and I was OK with that.

Anyway, I was trying to set up a chance to see these boys for the first time in a very long time. I am thinking it was 1994, as a matter of fact. So I got on the NJ Transit train to Penn Station going a bit too far into my head, and whipped out the iPod Touch to play some music to get back into my heart, and outta the other place. So with Theo Tams' Wait For You playing, I thought back and was able to think about some great times we had working on some jobs that were not exceedingly pleasant, save for the company we kept. Christopher Dallman's Never Was finished out the train ride, keeping me happy.



At 1:50PM, the train pulled into Penn Station, and I made my way to the surface. I still wasn't sure what was going to happen, so I called James and it turns out he was within a block of the station, and soon I was crossing the street to see him. I got a hug and a kiss, and we were off to meet Brian at a deli a couple of blocks away. Amazingly enough, within a few words, I was talking to James like 15 years hadn't passed us by, such a warm connection established. Sure, we had crap to catch up about, like how he has gone on to establish a career as a photographer and will soon have his work published. And how the silver has crept into his hair, but he is good with it, cause the ladies seem to like it. He can still make me laugh.



We made it to the deli, and saw Brian sitting there, looking not much different than the last time I had seen him. Aside from trying to figure out how long my hair was last time I had seen them, I spent much of the time laughing and enjoying myself. We walked to the High Line on 23rd, and walked down to 14th, I think. Then we headed over to the Hudson and walked along it. The city seems so different then when I lived there. We ended up at the Hippie Barge, at least that is what Brian called it, and had a beer and a lot more talk. I got a clearer vision of what Brian is up to, representing artists, like James. Alas, soon Brian had to leave, and James and I moved on to a rather nice bar, more beer and a bunch more conversation and laughs. And soon it was time for James to be heading out, and me to find my way up to Broadway, to catch a show.




I had a great time, and can't wait to see them again. Catching up is a helluva lot of fun. Maybe Mal and Helen will join us next time. But until then, you can learn a bit more about James by visiting his blog here.