Bar hopping, coming out, and more

I was bored the Friday night and texted Darla to see if she wanted to hang out. She usually frequents Starbucks on Friday nights. She texted me back instantly that she was there studying, and could use a study break. I said I'd be there in 15. I was. I got a frappuccino and we sat chatting. We talked a lot about work. We talked about other random stuff I can't recall. Darla had said that our friend Amoona would also probably be joining us. I said that was fine and fun since D and Amoona usually hang out together. We are a trio- los 3 amigos. Amoona shows up and soon we're talking about common friends and stuff. Somehow the conversation of being an alcoholic comes up, which is kind of a running joke that Darla is the resident alcoholic. She says she knows where a bar is and asks if we want to go.

Amoona doesn't drink, but said yes. I, of course, couldn't turn it down, so I said let's go. We head over to the bar and order our drinks. Darla ordered a Cadillac margarita and I got the house margarita. We sit sipping and eating some nachos. We talk about work, friends, school, and then relationships. Darla tells about her older man- 6 years older and is a baby's daddy. Lots of drama there because of a shady guy. I joke that I have met my share of shady guys. I bring up Maxon. I am gender neutral when I tell it- I refer to Maxon as "they." Then finally Darla keeps pressuring me for their name. I say I don't remember. I say you don't know him because he is nearly 40 and lives a few cities away. Finally Amoona start giggling badly, laughing, and finally say Maxon. She said he sounded latino. I said he was. She then pressed me- "so you're gay?" You've been hiding this from me? Gosh, I thought we were good friends, you didn't have to hide this from me for so long. I'm kind of hurt." She asked again to confirm I was gay. By this time I was able to muster the words "I am gay." I said I was sorry for not telling her and just felt weird. She reassured me she was not homophobic. She told me we could have had some interesting conversations years ago had she known. I thought she did know- I remember I threw it out at Starbucks when we hung out a few years back. I don't do coming out well and saying it straight out easiliy.

Darla gets more buzzed and decides she wants to see Eddy. She texts him. He says he is busy with a girl and can't come. A few more texts, a few calls, and Eddy pops by. The bartender, an older Asian woman in her 50s knows Eddy when he walks in. He told the bartender the last time he was there he wanted to get smashed. I order another margarita, this time a Cadillac, and we all start talking. Eddy orders an Adios Mother Fucker and gets hammered. Darla is talking to the latino guy at the end of the bar, Eddy, Amoona, and myself are all talking. Eddy makes smalltalk with the bartender- she lets him flip the TV, she puts a little extra extra in his drink, he has her. haha Anyways, the Mexican restaurant closed at 10 and we hung around to 10:30, which was awkward, but the other bar patrons and a few diners did the same thing.

When we left we went back to Starbucks where Eddy flirted with the gal at the register and I ordered a green tea. Amoona talked about her parents and how they'd be upset she was out so late and she'd be in trouble, so she took off. Darla, Eddy, and I stayed around and swapped relationship stories and fun stuff like that. Eddy is a bad boy. He is funny. Finally it came to me and I just told him that "I met Greg..." and right of the bat was truthful. He asked "what?" He didn't seem to be able to grasp I was gay. After my story Darla took off. Eddy and I hung around a little while. We went to the bathrooms together in Starbucks, walked over to Carls so he could get food, then we went to my car and talked. He kept asking if I was really gay. I said yes. I told him him talking about girls does not turn me on. I told him to touch my crotch when he talked about girls and see that it was not hard. He did put his hand there. I was amused. He didn't grope- just laid it there. He kept asking still if I was gay. I told him "let's get naked, yes." He didn't take that offer, so I said, "let's go to a gay club." I was not going to go in with him to begin with- I was more curious to see his reaction. He was already a little too social and it might have been too much of a shock for a straight boy.

I start my car and we are off to the gay club I usually go to. In the car I am probed with the typical straight guy questions about being gay... are you sure that you are gay? Do you know my gay friend Chris? Did you choose to be gay? Have you fucked a girl? I drove toward the gay club, but WTF would it look like me showing up with a straight guy? How would this straight guy in shock react? We head up to the door and Eddy asks the bouncer if it is a gay bar and he said it was. Eddy said he didn't know if he was comfortable with that and I could have said he was obviously curious if he let me go this far, or just forced him in. I wasn't really serious about going with him, more for shock value to prove to him because he seemed hard headed, I said "you thought I wasn't serious that I am gay," and left it at that. We went over to the straight bar across the street. There Eddy was talking to everyone introducing me as his "gay friend Mike." Um. Thanks Eddy. These were people I went to high school with I didn't necessarily want or need to know that I am gay. All good, though. He didn't tell any of them, but there were people I went to HS with in the bar- at least 10. He talks to random people, talks to the wall, talked to everyone who came near us. After a while I insist we take off, and we do.

While in the straight bar I log onto Grindr and see The Guy is 880 feet or so from me. Then his gay trainer- not Josh- his new trainer- a gay guy- nothing going on with them- just good friends were both at the gay bar. I was like SHIT. WHEW. Good thing I didn't take Eddy there. I've never been with The Guy in a bar. Weird. Good thing I wasn't serious and was more about teasing Eddy. What a small world!

On the way back to Eddy's car he tells me that he is cool with however I am. I play straight very well. I don't drink like a gay guy. He loves everyone. He is a frat boy. I can hang with him, or any gay guy any day. I am approved in his book. I can bring a boy over to his place anytime and his casa is their casa. We hugged as he got out of my car and shook hands. Took off about 1:45a.m.

Straight boys... gotta tease them...