By Joshua Ryan

Chapter 3: Ideas Have Consequences

When I was a freshman in college I went through the kind of depression that kids sometimes have when they’re away from home for the first time.  Finally I got myself out of bed and went to a counselor.  He told me that depression is anger and the way to escape from being angry is to express your anger.  Your anger is your truth, and you should release it.  I listened, and since then I’d never been depressed.  I’d lost some friends, but whatever.  They weren’t real friends; they were just people who wanted to control me.

The same with Gordy.  Call it disappointment, call it partnership envy, call it a frustrated dick—something was showing me that this guy was a control freak.  It wasn’t the job of Colonel One and a Quarter Drinks to make me pay for tales of his partner, or monitor my alcohol consumption.  I’d been drunk a thousand times before, and I’d managed to keep my car on the road.

But . . . on the other hand . . . .  A thought occurred to me.  Maybe I’d been too hard on him.  Way too hard.  Maybe this Patrick person wasn’t his one and only.  That was a thought!  Next time, I’d be nicer to the guy.  Much nicer.  And maybe he’d wear his uniform.  It must be more interesting than he was letting on.  I loved a man in uniform!  But I wasn’t fooled by Gordy’s superman act.  I knew how much civil servants made; I’d had enough trouble getting those dudes through escrow.  And here was a guy who had to live in a fuckin prison!  I’d have no trouble outbidding “Patrick.”

Continue reading My Trip to Paris – Chapter 03 →