Madeline and I tried to leave the apartment early on Saturday, in order to check out Central Park. Not only was I slow to rise, but I also realized there was a Gay Philosophy thing going on at the GLBT Centre in Manhattan at the same time. So, perhaps understandably, Madeline wasn't impressed.
We went to Central Park together, but I got restless so I split. Madeline didn't really object - I think she was pretty content ogling the ducks by herself. I trained down to the Center and dashed into the Philosophy room, breathless, just barely making it.
First words I hear:
"Oh no, darling, don't you get me started. Jesus was no philosopher!"
I'm thinking, "Oh shit. What have I gotten myself into now?"
As it turns out, I got myself into two enthralling hours about how and why Jesus was (not) a philosopher, why the question had no bearing on profound religious emotional experience, a discussion on the Q-source and its deep implications on the Gospels-as-word-of-Xst, and the many reasons why the Unitarians were/were not the brood of Satan.
However, the room WAS full of gay men (and one extremely intelligent and articulate Asian transvestite... also a staunch Unitarian), which did enable the discussion to break down into moments of emotive hysteria and brief, wonderful bits of flamboyant hilarity.
I especially loved it when one of the guys, prompted by the oft-repeated phrase, "Jesus was just a man", began to sing that song by Faith No More:
"A star is out
I reach for one to sparkle in my hand
A star is out
I will not touch you, I am just a man" - whereupon, with "touch you", he began fondling the leg of the man next to him (who really didn't seem to mind!).
Man do I love gay people! Unfortunately, none were under 40! :(
Anyhow, afterwards I got the coordinates of an apparently nice gay bar, not too loud/dancy, but an actual place to sit and have a drink and talk. Called the "Phoenix", down in the East Village. I walked around Manhattan directionless for a while, until I found a comfortable and discreet enough place to take out my gigantic, screaming, fairy-coloured gay "Funmap" of the downtown area, and get myself "oriented".
Eventually I made it to the bar, which had a nice exterior neon sign and some old iron ring like fixtures on the outside brick wall. Kind of weird and cool. I only peeked inside, since by this time it was only 6:30, and there really wasn't anyone there yet. Looked nice, so I definitely WILL come back, hopefully soon.
I got lost on the way home, again, of course. Took the "L" train, the wrong way, and went like a bullet east, straight into the heart of north Brooklyn. Figured no problem, I'd just hop on a connecting train south to where I needed to be. Caught the "G" train, which promptly stopped halfway to the station I needed, emptied itself of all its passengers, and trundled into the enigmatic depths of the NY subway.
Had to catch a shuttle, which wound itself through what seemed to be the streets of all of Brooklyn, before finally letting me catch another train ALL the way back into Manhattan, just to find a connecting train ALL the way back to the bloody Brooklyn stop I wanted in the first place.
Confused? Just take a look at the following map:
If you think that looks like trying to navigate yourself through a mound of multi-coloured spaghetti... you're not far off. Most confusing subway in the world!
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