Vesper's Tears of Laughter

Gordo came over to see Professor X and bring over the usual presents and offerings of joy and good will. As wonderful and darling as the presents from him and his parents were, the truly magical gift he brought was a DVD culled from a video tape of a 1989 performance that we were both a part of.

In the second grade my class put on a 50's and 60's musical spectacular for the school and our parents. I distinctly remember 3-4 performances over the course of a week or so. One was just for parents, another for the 6th graders (We were much more somber for that performance) I remember truly enjoying the practices and performances. Who wouldn't have fun when 8 years old singing and dancing around to such greats as "Going to the Chapel", "A Little Help From My Friends", "My Guy", "Yesterday", "My Boyfriend's Back" and "It's My Party". Vesper could not stop laughing through the entire video. It was very touch and go for awhile with Vesper's post pregnancy/labor incontinence issues. We (and the couch) were very happy that her strong will overcame her weak bladder.
I was, um, quite enthusiastic about the performance and was easily the most demonstrative of the Ricettes. But poor Gordo just wasn't into it. You can tell the little guy would have loved to be just about anywhere else in the world. Keep in mind that Gordo's parents took this video I was so crazy and out of control that they couldn't help but turn the camera onto me.

(Gordo is the shy one in the white circle, and Gawain is in the Orange circle. You know, the tall kid in khakis that is gyrating around the stage with reckless abandon. Trust us...the video is worth the slight load time.)

¿Cuanto tiempo deben esperar para tener el bullfight?

How long do you wait after a divorce to start dating again? How long should it be until you share a romantic relationship?

As previously chronicled Gordo and I have been friends since childhood. During our time as friends he has had various and sundry lady friends, but none that really took that well. He dated quite voluminously in High School and directly thereafter. But, since he never was much for books and school he didn't go off to college right away. And, as time wore on, he found less and less amorous ladies around that weren't drunken whore-beasts or that did not offend his delicate optical sensibilities. This dearth of opportunity (aided in small part by school and work) lead him to leave Washington and go to school in Arizona, and afterwards, live and work in LA.

(Gordo and I when we were 16ish. Check out the fantasitc amounts of zits! And don't worry, those are just brownies in Gordo's teeth. Not dung.)

Through telephone conversations during his time in the Southwest, things did not get any better for Gordo. In fact, it is fairly obvious that life in general (especially social life) worsened. During his year in Arizona he did not meet anyone he even put an effort towards and in LA he wound up with Inquisition; a recovering alcoholic / nymphomaniac / head case that he stuck with due to frustration and loneliness. That had to be the worst relationship of his life. They would fight, frolic, and frustrate each other all the time. He would have to deal with her head games and trying to help her with her addictive personality. Don't get me wrong. I'm not viewing Gordo through rose-colored glasses here. He has his fair share of kinks like the rest of us. But, long story short, things crashed and burned with him and Inquisition. After a couple of years of personal hardship he came back home.

(Gordo is on the left. Look at the fear in his eyes! In that moment he is seeing his future with Inquisition. Also, look at my mighty fine stainless steel crowns.)

Gordo is lucky that, though he came from a crazy family, he came from a very good family. When he got back to Seattle he started spending a lot of time with his brother the Snake and wife Mindy. Gordo was Mindy's favorite brother-in-law. She also had a best friend Ginger who was in need of a good friend at the time. So, around March of this year, she started having both of them come over at the same time. As I'm sure you have guessed they got along and started to hang out on their own more and more, much to Mindy's delight.

(Ginger playing the lusty queen of the forest)

Now, the reason that Ginger was in need of a good friend was that she was in the middle of a divorce. Late last year her husband told her that he had been seeing other people (naked) for quite some time and wanted a divorce. Now, I haven't asked her myself for obvious reasons, but I imagine that this was crushing, devastating, infuriating, rage inducing, and harrowing to Ginger. They had been married for 3-4 years and she had no idea of his infidelities until he just laid it on her. Luckily they didn't have any children together.

So, Ginger's need of a good friend, and Gordo's need of a good friend and wholesome companionship worked out extremely well. Over time their bond has just deepened. Gordo has told me more than once that he has never hung out with a member of the opposite sex that he could just sit and talk to until all wee hours of the morning. Someone with whom he could share stimulating conversation and who shared so many of the same interests. Someone with whom he was at home with. It is quite obvious when Vesper and I hang out with them that if Ginger wasn't in the middle of a divorce they would be together. They really care for each other, a lot. But, since they aren't down with any degree of adultery they are sticking hard to their friendship game plan until after the divorce is finalized.

(Ginger with her mama)

So, this brings us back to the million dollar question. Vesper and I have discussed this but to no avail. How long should Gordo and Ginger wait after her divorce is official (August 15th) to become romantically involved? The letter of the law states 2.5 seconds after the court makes the divorce official they are free since she is free. But I have to imagine that social pressure may dictate otherwise. Yet, she has been estranged from her ex-hubby 9 months and her and Gordo have cultivated their bond for close to 4. How long will it take her parents to be okay with another man? I frankly have no idea. All of this discussion could be a moot point if, regardless of all of the signs, she is not ready for a romantic relationship. But, since they spend just about every free moment together and unconsciously do lots of leaning together, innocent hand / arm touching, and other couple-like things I don't feel that's the case. I guess only time will tell.

(Ah to be young and ignorant of the vicissitudes of life. From left to right; Daddy Gordo, Mama Gordo, Gawain, Gordo, Coach B)

El Gordo! El Gordo!

El Gordo paid us a visit last night.
El Gordo has been a friend of mine since about the age of 8. His family moved and then we commenced to grow up in the same general neighborhood, go to the same school, and go to the same church. Our friendship wasn't manlove at first site. We were generally friendly to each other during the early years. That really didn't change until we both started attending an early morning church class before school each day our freshman year of high school. Forged in the fog of 4 years of 6AM theological study, a real friendship was born. This grew threw typical high school deeds of eggings, toilet paperings, costume parties, dances, conquests of the opposite sex, sunday school, and sports.
As life is wont to do, the fall after we graduated from high school geography got in the way of our friendship. I moved away to go attend college, he decided to be a missionary for 2 years, then a year later I decided to be a missionary for 2 years. So, for the next 3 years we really didn't see each other at all and were limited to exchanging letters whilst out proselyting. So, in aught-three we were finally both back home for awhile and you know what? It was like we had never left. I do believe that at that point we went from really good friends to "willing to do just about anything for each" other friends. Over the next couple of years he was the best man at my wedding and we did something together a couple of times every week. Then, the nomad gene started to kick in for him. He was 23, living in his hometown, and didn't really like school or the job that he had. So, he went of to sound effects/recording school in Phoenix. He was in Arizona for a year then went off to Los Angeles to get into the movie business. Only, there was a problem, it turns out that he hated LA and didn't really like all of the grunt work that comes with working on the sound for movies and TV. (He just liked sound effects) Long story short (believe it or not, this is the SUPER short version of this story) he got his wits about him and decided to move home. He could find better work up here, his family and good friends are up here, there are many more fun things to do here. He arrived in back home a couple of nights ago. (with stops in Vegas and Utah to "see" some old friends on the way back) Vesper and I were pretty excited he was back in town and had him over for a BBQ and egg decorating last night. And the funny thing about real friends is how even though they've been gone for years at a time. It's like they never left. The warmth, the humor and the comfort of being in the same company is still there. Welcome home El Gordo. Welcome home.