What Happens in Nashvegas...Stays in Nashvegas

Ten years ago. Exactly a decade ago on Labor Day weekend, my two former college roommates, me and Hotass went to New Orleans. For Southern Decadence, or as the waitress in the restaurant told us in her delightful Cajun accent on that fateful trip, "some queer festival." We feigned shock when she told us but giggled like the dumb girls we were when she walked away.

Our motto for the weekend was "whatever happens across the state line, stays across the state line."

None of us did anything that would require that big of a secret. Those silly naive boys had themselves a hell of a time, though, and quite frankly, I don't know that I now in my old age have the energy to do it again. But I'd like to, especially knowing now what I didn't know then.

Seeing that New Orleans is about to go underwater as a result of a direct hit of a category five hurricane (Katrina - she just sounds like a bitch), I might never have the chance to go to Decadence again.

Never fear. This Labor Day weekend, the Gaggle lands in Nashvegas. And it has remarkable similarites to my and Hotass' trip to NOLA.

• Labor Day weekend. The end of summer and lord, what a summer it's been.
• A roadtrip. Back then, we were too cheap, no, make that broke, to fly. So we drove the eight hours to New Orleans. And since I couldn't drive a stick, I got to sleep most of the way there and back. No such luck this time.
• A first trip together with new friends. Our trip to NOLA was the first time we had been on a get-away together as a group. And nothing is a truer test of friendship than going on a trip with your buds. Nine of us are going to Nashvegas this weekend - Dusty, HotAss, Buffy, Wanda, the Herbalist, Pistol Pete, the Dynamic Duo, and me. Watch the dramedy ensue.
• Boys, booze and bars. Back then, French Quarter bars were legendary - Oz, Lafitte's, Bourbon St. Pub. To a gay-bar desert like Memphis, the sweet quenching allure of Nashville's bars - Tribe, The Chute, and Play - is like a soaking thunderstorm. Not to mention a gay man's attraction to O.O.T.'s (out-of-towners). Throw in some cheap draft beer, and you've got all the makings for a Rock Star Weekend.

And this weekend is even a bachelor party of sorts. In honor of the upcoming nuptials (can you use "nuptials" for a gay couple?), the Gaggle is taking the Dynamic Duo to Nashville. In less than a month, the Dynamic Duo will exchange vows of love and commitment.

And, to be real for a moment, I can't tell you how excited I am to be able to witness that. It's pretty damn life-affirming as a gay man to see a REAL gay couple be that in love with one another. It reminds the Singletons that, despite the overwhelming straight and gay opinion to the contrary, two men can be in love and willing to commit their lives to fulfilling, enjoying, and encouraging love. Congratulations to Rob and AJ. I truly do wish you the best of a life together.

So anyway...the weekend certainly does hold the potential for stories that will be told for years to come. Stay tuned.

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One more thing, let me introduce a new feature to my blog - the Distraction of the Minute. Do any of us ever do anything anymore without multi-tasking? No wonder I feel like I have Attention Deficit Dis-oh-what-was-I-just-doing?

So anyway...this is what's going on in the background - maybe downloaded music, maybe Internet radio, maybe TV, maybe nothing. Or maybe I've mistaken you for someone who gives a whoopty-doo.

Source: RealPlayer

Genre: Disco

Song: More, More, More - Andrea True Connection