I wake up on my friend's couch, scrounge around the fridge for some food that I think I'm allowed to eat, sift through my suitcase for something to wear, dig through my ziploc bag of underwear for the day, and figure out what I'm going to do. Luckily they gave me 2 keys to their place so I can go in and out whenever I please: I didn't even get this treatment when I first moved back home!

Yesterday, I hung out with fellow drag king T to rehearse our duet, "The Girl Is Mine" and went for falafel, coffee and a gelato, a soy-based one for me. I'd never really sat and chatted with her before, and I was so glad I felt comfortable with her, and the conversation flowed and pause without discomfort. My roommates ended up not coming to see my show, but I never expect friends and family to see me perform; I've had that in the past and I can go on without it now. At the Oasis on Thurlow & Davie, above Denny's Restaurant, I'd see people I hadn't seen in a long time who missed seeing me on stage again, and then She entered. This girl I'd known for a few years, who's bed I'd shared, who broke my heart, who walked in dazzling me. She pointed out a couple of scars from her car accident months ago, but they were unnoticeable, and she was still captivating. She held out her leg to show off her new shoes and I grazed my hand over her calf. She was all giddy whenever I touched her lightly. Mmmmm. The show started and T was the first to perform. My nerves started acting up, but that happens. I did the same number I'd done a billion trillion times, and like magic, my nerves evaporated, hovering in the audience until I finished. A ten minute break gave her a chance to whip out a joint for us to smoke; my usual rule is to stay clean and sober before and during a performance, but I figured I'd toke a little bit. Intermission was over and a couple more drag kings got up, all great and impeccable. I stand by for the duet about to happen, and my heart wants to pound out of my chest so much it hurts. I've felt this way before, and that first time, I had an anxiety attach, but I was in control of this one. As soon as the music came on, I forgot about the fear wrapped around me, and stepped on stage, lip-syncing to Michael Jackson's part until he says the girl is mine, then I take T, who was flirting with some girl in the front row, and pull her by the ear and next to me to do our duel over this girl in the song. After that, it was smooth and we were on fire, the audience was gobbling us up like pudding. As the music fadded out, an older gent approaches us and hands us each a 5 dollar bill! It was also T's birthday on the 20th, so we all sang happy birthday to her. She was feeling tired and wanted to go home, but we made a date for friday to do a movie "or something wink*wink*nudge*nudge". I walked her to the door, grabbed her and kissed her at the doorway. Sigh. I watched her go as I got back to the scene inside. I was wishing I had more energy and cash to socialize more, but I needed to go home and sleep, so T and I had a long good-bye filled with hugs and lots of I'll miss you's thrown in, and I was off, out in the street with my suit. I'd removed my moustache in the bathroom earlier, using some spirit gum to attach it, but the astringent that came with it ran out a long time ago, so, I had to be brave and rip it off quickly, then apply some lip balm, massaging it in to rub off the dried up gumminess. Ew.

Last night still lingers in my brain and puts a smile on my face, and hopefully friday night with her will keep me grinning during my bus ride back to Winnipeg.