... not that there's anything wrong with that

Seeing as how I have taken to sharing the mundane, but silly details of my life with this board...

I had to be in Chelsea a little while ago. It's a neighborhood in Manhattan that I'd describe as "gay friendly." It isn't a gay neighborhood, but there are a lot of gay men who live in the neighborhood. It's a little bit of a haven. It's not the neighborhood couples settle down in cause there are lots of kids and great schools.

So I got off the subway and I was with a clump of probably 10 to 15 other men as I walked up the stairs to the street. There was a guy standing by the subway entrance with a table and he immediately honed in on me--let the other men walk on by.

"Hi. Would you please answer some questions to help us better serve our constituents at the Gay Men's something-or-other coalition."

"I'm not gay."

"Oh. Sorry. Have a nice day."

I walk two more blocks. There's another guy standing by a table. This guy looks like he stepped right out of the cast of Queer Eye For the Straight Guy, except with a harder NY edge to him. Takes one look at me, walks over, introduces himself and says, "Would you like to fill out a survey to see if you are a eligible for a confidential research study for gay men."

"I'm not gay."

"Oh. Well, here is a card, in case you have any gay friends." He then smiled and pointed toward his table. "And please, help yourself to some candy and condoms."

I just got home, sat down and pulled out the card he gave me. On the front is a photo of two guys in low, ambient light, groping each other. The tagline says, "like to party?"

On the back of the card is a series of other questions. In big print: "Hard partier?" "Into guys?"

In smaller print, questions such as, "Are you a man who has sex with other men? ... and a phone number to call.

So on that note, have at me fellas (not literally)...

 

Actually, a small part of me is regretting not having helped myself to some candy and condoms... Just so I could say I did.