Baldur

Robert never did speak to me that evening, but he nearly bored a hole through me with his eyes.
What I didn't know then was that he had lost his partner of many years to a massive heart attack just 6 months earlier. He was still in mourning and unsure that he should even think of another relationship. But indeed a relationship with me wasn't forming in his mind yet. He was curious about who I was but assumed that Mikey and I were a couple. Since Mikey lived a good hour north of Providence he assumed I must be from there too.
As mentrioned earlier, no one there knew me, there was nothing anyone could tell him. Until he later got a chance to speak with the friends that Mikey was staying with that weekend.
.,.,...

Dragon

Ahh, Baldur the bearded Cinderella. I always find the best 'how we met' stories are the ones where you completely weren't expecting to meet someone. I mean how interesting would it be if you had said, 'I was out at this bar and this really drunk guy came over...'

Baldur

I socialized for a few hours until my brain was overloaded with this new experience and decided to leave. Mikey wanted to arrange a ride home for me since he brought me, but it was actually well within my average daily walking distance and it was a pleasant summer evening.
After my goodbyes to the hosts Baldur disappeared into the night.

Meanwhile...

While the evening was quite pleasant I was unaware that the beginnings of Rhode Island's very first Bear Club were all present and discussing the organizational stuff. The hosts of the party, Robert, and the 2 men who chauffeured me that day were indeed the emerging board of the group.
When next they mey Robert casually asked if I and Mikey were a couple.
He was quite surprised to learn that we had only met that day and that Baldur was in Providence, Not East Beehive, Massachusetts.

Baldur

mey -y +t =met

Baldur

Baldur decided he liked this group of people.
Within the local college free press newspaper, I found out about a new bear club that was in the formative stages. It met at a gay bar downtown.
Never having been to such a place, but being determined to go to a meeting I decided to check out the bar.

Finding it was not hard, but it was not open until early evening.
It seemed a good idea to get my bearings there so my first visit was several nights before the the meeting.
My intention was to have a beer, scope out the place make sure I knew how to escape if need be.

Baldur

-the

Baldur imagines many of you have not been in a gay bar.
Thankfully it was a slow night, the transition into this seedy world was made a little easier by that random blessing.
First when walking through the door it is pitch black. In time you realize it's just very dim, but as a precaution the dimness seems universal.
The outside of these places is rather well lit so your eyes take time to adjust. Apparently it gives the occupants time to assess any newcomers while they themselves are optically invisible.
If police arrive, or rowdy troublemakers, or even your significant other should walk in the door, there is a moment or two before they can see you.
Pretty darn clever I say.

Anyway, that was perhaps the scariest moment in my life.
I soon saw the bar and headed to it.
There was but one person seated at it, and indeed it was Robert.
He worked across the street, part time, duplicating data on reel to reel tapes as a backup for a local facility. This was after his regular day job.
All he needed to do was load the tapes, turn on the machine and come back in and hour to unload them.
Not a bad part time job.
The fact that it was right across the street from a gay bar was a bonus.
He would have several beers, finish work and drive home.

Baldur

Robert was quite talkative that evening,
He bought me a drink, we chatted, he brought me to the offices and showed me his job

Segue an hour later.

He drove me back to my apartment.
We started dating.

It was actually quite a shock to the bear community when this leaked out.
But indeed my typing finger is now tired, I hope that didn't disappoint anyone.

'All Baldur, All the Time'

Dragon

10 points to Baldur for 'Segue'. Love that word and don't get to use it enough.
Very much enjoyed the story as well, thanks for sharing Baldur.

sheftali52

Many thanks for the Baldur tales--quite entertaining.

marius

Disappoint? Heavens no! That is a delightful story and told with just the right amount of suspense. Thank you Baldur. I am smiling and of course I am - a good story before sleep is a marvelous tonic. : )

Sweet dreams to all!

belladonnis

A Cinderella story and the answer to Tapioca! A really good end to a long day! Now I'm going to go dream a Cinderella story of my own. Good night all and if the bedbugs bite use calamine lotion.LOL

Baldur

You're welcome, I had never tried formatting that into story form before.
Too bad I need to gloss over so many details.

I musy say however that Robert trying to puzzle out how I lived was just as alien to him as the gay lifestyle was to me.

When he first came up into my apartment the lack of TV was the first thing he noticed. He immediately offered to give me one.
I had actually owned many in my time there, Samaritans were forever giving me their old sets. Being without a car it was troublesome getting rid of them at first. Eventually I got the knack of it.

He also thought I didn't own a car because either I never learned to drive or had my license taken away. Both were easy to disprove.
Actually Robert quickly got accustomed to my driving him, he likes being chauffeured.

marius

Haven't gone to dreamland yet, but on my way.

Meanwhile, just wanted to say that Baldur Radio is much better than TV, and of course it is! : ) And, now I'm wondering about that first date. Hmmm.

Thanks again, Baldur.

snickerdoodle

Well, now that was a very entertaining story!

For those of you who haven't figured it out, I am robin, now known as "snickerdoodle" on this forum! LOL

I'd like to tell you, though, getting a new username is no easy feat! When I first tried, it wouldn't allow me to have more than one username from the same email address. So in order to make the name snickerdoodle, I had to create a whole new email address on my account! It was more work than it was worth, and I doubt I'll use this username much, because what a hassle to have to log in and out all the time.

Anyway, happy hour was happy, but I am tired and uninspired to write my own version of Baldur and Robert's meeting, now that I know the true version. Truth is always stranger than fiction, no?

Good night to you all! Love, Snickerdoodle!! (I should have made the name snickerdoodler to carry out the drawing theme of the site! (Get it? Doodler??) RATS! Wish I had thought of that sooner! No way I want to create yet ANOTHER new account, and plus, I think I've already hit my limit with that.)

Baldur

Good Morning
Homemade waffles are on the menu here at Chez Baldur today. Hurry up and get yours before we run out
I flavored them with both a small amount of almond extract and orange extract in addition to the vanilla that I always use.

lilalee

Baldur, did like your story of how you met Robert. Love comes to us in so many ways!! But, I wanted to say, I worked in a hair salon for 32 years, and the first 6 years, the fellow I worked for hired a gay stylist. He and I became close friends for years, until he passed on. But when my boss hired him, he told me that my boss owned a gay bar. I was shocked, as I worked for Charles for 6 yrs and never knew! I have to say, those years of going to gay bars, and parties were the most fun of my single days!! I made many gay guy friends, they were protective, loving, caring and the most fun!! I did their hair and make-up for their shows, was even a judge once!! Here, the bars are just a window, door, and small sign. Women had their own bars. No lights then and even now. I made some very good friends, learned about antiques, and tea time, and cocktail time!! Would love to meet Robert and yourself, also enjoy your conversations and learning new things from you!!

marius

Ahhh - a nice walk in the country with my friend, cats eating grass in the yard, pleasant temperatures, and fond memories of hearing Baldur's story last night. Life can't get much better.

marius

Oh wait - yes it can. We now have a guest host who has run the gamut for her new nickname. Congratulations snickerdoodle! I like it! (Wasn't it Matthew's idea? Should he not get some credit?)

Also LOVE that picture! And, I think if your nickname is snickerdoodle that it can have variations: snickerdoodler, doodler, snickers .... so no need to go back and work on a name change. Just my opinion. : )

And, Baldur, how were the waffles? I love waffles.

belladonnis

Hello everyone! Hope your day found you well!
I love waffels. Baulder the orange extract sounds interesting, can you taste it? Do you use Maple syrup with them?
The story was great also, I had hoped that I would drift off and dream my own little story, but no......I dreamed about work!!!!!:( No romance....just Model year 11 part numbers and CI presentations! Oh well there is hope for tonight!

Baldur

The waffles were quite good and I always make too many.
One of the problems with being unemployed is that I have had to start buying maple flavoured syrup instead of genuine maple syrup. Sigh.

I grew up on the fake version so indeed it will not hurt me.
The orange extract was a nice addition, but no doubt grated orange rind would be even better.