Tribal Membership
Last night, Darin, Chris and I headed to the Arizona State Fair in search of the Pet Shop Boys. The state fair has been in full-tilt for a month, complete with dueling Ferris wheels, deep-fried coke vendors, and a host of dirty animals. The fair has also hosted numerous concerts throughout the month, and last night night was the Phoenix stop-over for the Pet Shop Boys' Fundamental tour.
The three of us thought the Arizona State Fair and the Pet Shop Boys made strange bedfellows, but then again, it was the wild, wild west. Reserved seating cost only 20 bucks, and for the chance to see a major band playing less than two miles away, we couldn't pass it up.
In my 30 years of concert attending experience, I have never been to a show that started remotely on-time. But with less than half the venue filled, the Pet Shop Boys were obviously anxious to get the hell out of dodge and the house lights dropped promptly at 7:02pm. The three of us were still shuffling to our seats as the crowd erupted around us, queens hopping and clapping like epileptic rabbits. We sat down to catch a breath and recover.
The first song began. The back-up dancers took to the stage. The crowd quieted in hushed expectancy.
Then I felt it.
tap. tap. tap.
I turned, only to set my sights on a rotund, one-eyed, heavily pierced Native American woman. Let's call her Woo-Woo.
Woo-Woo, in heavy whisper: "OMG! Have you seen Pet Shop Boys before??!! I have. I have seen Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Depeche Mode... I LOVE THEM ALL."
I nodded. I shot my "I don't give a shit but how nice" smile, and turned back around to focus on the concert.
Darin and Chris both shot side glances, acknowledging that I had indeed found a new girlfriend.
Then it happened again.
tap. tap. tap.
Maybe Woo-Woo thought we got off to a rocky start and wanted a little more slap and tickle.
I turned around.
She leaned in.
"Are you two together?" she said, nodding to Chris.
"Uh-huh".
She flipped a thumbs-up, extended her hand in a handshake, and blurted, "I love your kind! All of your people. You're just great!!"
I think I heard Darin swallow his tongue.
I nodded in acknowledgement. I mean, I like my people, too. I felt like I had exclusive membership to the tribe. I know she had good intentions and didn't see that she had indirectly shot the gay tribe down. But Woo-Woo only had one eye. I'll blame it on her tunnel vision.
The three of us thought the Arizona State Fair and the Pet Shop Boys made strange bedfellows, but then again, it was the wild, wild west. Reserved seating cost only 20 bucks, and for the chance to see a major band playing less than two miles away, we couldn't pass it up.
In my 30 years of concert attending experience, I have never been to a show that started remotely on-time. But with less than half the venue filled, the Pet Shop Boys were obviously anxious to get the hell out of dodge and the house lights dropped promptly at 7:02pm. The three of us were still shuffling to our seats as the crowd erupted around us, queens hopping and clapping like epileptic rabbits. We sat down to catch a breath and recover.
The first song began. The back-up dancers took to the stage. The crowd quieted in hushed expectancy.
Then I felt it.
tap. tap. tap.
I turned, only to set my sights on a rotund, one-eyed, heavily pierced Native American woman. Let's call her Woo-Woo.
Woo-Woo, in heavy whisper: "OMG! Have you seen Pet Shop Boys before??!! I have. I have seen Pet Shop Boys, New Order, Depeche Mode... I LOVE THEM ALL."
I nodded. I shot my "I don't give a shit but how nice" smile, and turned back around to focus on the concert.
Darin and Chris both shot side glances, acknowledging that I had indeed found a new girlfriend.
Then it happened again.
tap. tap. tap.
Maybe Woo-Woo thought we got off to a rocky start and wanted a little more slap and tickle.
I turned around.
She leaned in.
"Are you two together?" she said, nodding to Chris.
"Uh-huh".
She flipped a thumbs-up, extended her hand in a handshake, and blurted, "I love your kind! All of your people. You're just great!!"
I think I heard Darin swallow his tongue.
I nodded in acknowledgement. I mean, I like my people, too. I felt like I had exclusive membership to the tribe. I know she had good intentions and didn't see that she had indirectly shot the gay tribe down. But Woo-Woo only had one eye. I'll blame it on her tunnel vision.
posted by Michael at 5:09 PM
11 Comments:
Uhm...you omitted the fact that she smelled of Booze and Bingo Cards.
LOL. My ex said he had a similar comment while he was antiquing in the Acadian region of SW Nova Scotia. So it appears one-eyed natives and Acadians approve.
That is actually a sweet story. I wish there were more people like her.
Homer, she actually was really sweet, and we told her goodbye when we left. It was just kinda odd and amusing to be referred to as "your kind."
if Darin ever feels like a 3rd wheel, just let me know! i will be glad to join you!
OK then . . . . . too much!
I would've loved it if you'd said you liked her kind, too, and then made reference to either a John Wayne movie or something with pirates.
BTW, have you guys seen BORAT? OH MY GOD.
Woo-Woo... omg thats funny...
I'm kinda interested in how they landed a gig at the Arizona State Fair. I mean, c'mon. They're the Pet Shop Boys....not a has-been like Barry Manilow.
No offense to Arizonans, mind you.
LOL @ Darin.
Native Americans are pretty good at acknowledging people of Two-Spirits.
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