It is shortly before one in the morning, and I am typing this as I power down after an evening out. I have put the "Spa" channel on the radio, and have showered.
Last night, after getting off work, I went back to Tysons for a second walk. I don't know how I used to walk that mall in the evenings before I switched to doing so during the day. But I was restless last night, so I'm glad I took to the tiles.
I worked the late shift, and I had considered going to Freddie's for karaoke. With all of the crap of the past week or so (the usual nonsense at work, Justin refusing to fade quietly into the sunset and instead rubbing salt in a wound, Mike standing me up, not seeing Josie since January), I wanted to leave my head and my heart on the karaoke stage (to paraphrase Lady Gaga). I also needed to face my own demons; I hadn't been on that stage since my horrid reunion with Justin three months ago.
So in spite of spending the entire evening trying to talk myself out of it, I got in my car shortly after nine and headed to Freddie's. I was surprised to see how crowded it was on a Tuesday night.
It turned out to be only a handful of independent patrons; the rest were part of a (largely lesbian) group who, as I discovered, were celebrating two of the people finishing graduate school.
I signed up for my first song ("Amish Paradise"), and then tried to make small talk with the guy sitting right beside me. When this didn't work, I congratulated a woman (who I wonder if she also had a Y-Chromosome as well) on her performance. She identified herself as "Mo", and was sitting with two men.
I got onstage when I was called, and when the title came up onto the screen, the gaggle of lesbians let up a roar; they, along with Mo, were the loudest cheerers. As I went back to the piano to sign up for another song, I overheard someone say that my voice would be well suited to a Lady Gaga song.
Since the books are hopelessly outdated, I asked the KJ (who has the strangely-spelled name "Cwaig") if they had any Lady Gaga. He showed me what they had, and I opted for "Bad Romance". I told one of the womyn (spelled like that because that's how rug munchers prefer it) what I would be singing. She said it would be our secret.
While waiting for my name to be called, Mo asked me to dance with her. Later on, I belted out my song (and got backing vocals from the lesbians), and called it a night. I did say goodbye to everyone that I had met; I wish all of them well, even if I never see them again.
I did have fun, but it would be really nice if I could approach men with the same ease that I approach womyn. I guess I am still a work in progress. But I don't regret going out; it was quite therapeutic.
The only person who I would have preferred not to see was this one woman with an odd name, but she is extremely weird. She was part of Justin's old crew; she wore black jeans, a black t-shirt (without a bra; you couldn't see her belt), a buzz cut, a dog collar that looked like it had a tracking device, and a black shoulder bag, which never left her side. She keeps her religious stuff in there; once in a while, I see her at Freddie's using the paraphernalia in the bag; she spreads out crystals, then rotates another one that is suspended from a string, pendulum-style. She's a little odd.
I am off again tomorrow (obviously, or I would not be up at this hour), and other than walking (with weights? without? who knows!), I don't know what the day has in store. We shall see.
Eric Out.
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