So other than still not having a decent national health care plan (which many of our European allies provide), what else has been happening in my life?
I haven't blogged about the PWA Campouts yet, hosted at a private campground run by the Texas Conference of Clubs. The PWA Campout is a bi-annual event for HIV-positive gay men. It's generally a weekend event, but some campers arrive a day or two early to help with any needed repairs or clearing of brush. The fee covers the meals and such for the weekend. If you are low or no-income, the fees are waived. The event is clothing-optional, which makes things interesting at times. Let's just say that both times I've been to the campout I opted.
Campout, May 2009
In May 2009 I went to the campout for the first time. I hadn't been camping in over twenty years. My long term partner, now long-term ex, didn't care for camping so took a valued part of the things I loved away from me for thirteen years. Hadn't found anybody to camp with, so never went on my own.
A friend ("Thumper") offered me a ride since I don't have a car. We went up on Friday to help rake leaves and move some things around. Got our respective tents set up, and went to sleep. Or I thought I'd sleep. Hadn't been camping in over twenty years, but the noises weren't just those natural to the woods. Just when I thought I could finally let the crickets sing me a lullaby, there was the sound of shouting. Yelling. A verbal fight. A loud, painful to hear breakup. It went on for quite some time. Accusations hurled, implied promises broken, blame for doing things they agreed they could do, tears on the part of both parties. Eventually one left, leaving the other to sob and pace in frustration through the dry leaves of the campsite.
When the sun rose, so did I. Decided to see if there was coffee because, despite not getting a restful sleep, I didn't intend to waste the day trying to sleep some more. Since I wasn't pre-registered, I didn't have a name tag. Breakfast was being prepared but not yet ready, so I started talking to another guy who was there. He was trying to get a signal on his cell phone but was having trouble. He told me he was trying to reach his roommate. I told him I didn't have a name tag yet, but my name was Dave. He replied with a sadness in the tone, "that's my ex's name. We broke up last night." I nodded and responded, "You must be Jeff." His face took on a look of shock. "You heard us?" With a laugh I told him, "the whole forest heard you."
He and I started talking some more. We found we had a lot of common interests, and it turned out we both lived in Austin. He was going to call his roommate to come pick him up, since he came with his now-ex and didn't have a place to sleep if he stayed. I suggested he stay with me, and that my friend could take him back to Austin when we left. So, Jeff stayed and we enjoyed the time spent together. Of course, many of the guys were asking us when we were getting married we seemed so close. But admittedly, I wasn't sure it could last. Jeff smoked heavily and drank even more. Not traits that I want in a partner. But we had fun.
I also met Eugene that weekend. He and I talked a few times. Good looking man, funny, intelligent. But I was "with" Jeff and Eugene lived in Houston. End of story, sadly.
The campout ended on Sunday after breakfast, we packed everything up, and Thumper, Jeff and I returned to Austin. A few days after we got back, Jeff and his ex got back together. Apparently didn't last long, but long enough for me to think about whether he was right for me. I knew he wasn't, but no reason we couldn't still be friends.
I'll write about the Fall 2009 Campout in the next installment.
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