November 8, 2002
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The Adventures of Paisley
Blue
Seattle is a wonderful city and I love living here. In the two-plus years I've been here, I've had lots of great experiences, met some interesting people and made some lifelong friends.
This morning at the bus stop, though, while I was waiting for whichever bus would show up to get me to the other end of downtown, I watched as a junkie approached a dealer, paid for the goods, and the dealer filled a hyperdermic needle with drugs. The dealer was a petite Asian woman with a hard look on her face, and just as she was filling the needle she looked up and made eye contact with me. A cold feeling went through my bones and I knew this was a dangerous woman. I quickly looked away but from the corner of my eye I could see that as soon as she handed the needle to the junkie, she quickly walked away into the park.
There's a reason we call it Crack Park.
The junkie put the needle into a pocket and boarded the same bus I did. I kept thinking to myself 'What's the right thing to do?' If I called 9-1-1 would it just be a waste of time?
Dispatch: 9-1-1, what's your emergency?
Me: There's a junkie on the bus I'm on, with a hyperdermic full of drugs in her coat pocket.
Dispatch: How do you know this?
Me: I watched the dealer fill the needle at the bus stop.
Dispatch: What is this person's description?
Me: About 5'6" and 250 pounds, light black skin, black nappy hair, wearing multiple layers of soiled clothing, green sweat jacket with a hood, red sweat pants, white shoes that look way too big, walks with a waddle.
Dispatch: We can send an officer to intercept your bus, but it will be about ten minutes.
Me: I'm not going to be on the bus in ten minutes. I will have arrived at my destination, and no telling when she's going to... hold on... we've stopped and she is leaving the bus.
Dispatch: Which direction is she going?
Me: She's walking south on Third Avenue, no... wait... she's now walking north on Third Avenue... okay, she turned around again... oh, the bus is moving forward and I can't see where she is going.
Dispatch: I'm sorry, not much we can do now. [click]
Actually, my main concern at this point is that I hope the dealer doesn't feel like I'm a threat and send someone to 'shut me up' or something like that.
So for some good news, last night Mechanic, Michael and I went out. I had worked late, because after my regular job I went and did some bankruptcy paralegal work. Because I had to work late at my first job, though, the attorney came to my office to bring me a file and the keys to the building and the law firm, since it would be closed by the time I got there.
Its astonishing to me that he trusted me like that but it also makes me feel good. I simply did my work, left the keys in the prearranged location, and went home. When I got home, Mechanic was almost finished preparing supper. Michael called a little later saying he was on his way home from Bellevue and wanted us to meet him at Hana's. We asked him to swing by and pick us up - we didn't want to walk in the cold and rain. So he agreed to and I started getting ready while Mechanic was chatting with Blue online.
At Hana's Michael bought us two shots and 151-and-Coke. The first shot was Goldschlager (sp?) and the second shot was a Cowboy Cocksucker with Spurs. Interesting name, eh? Before we left that bar, I was inebriated... but still conscious. LOL
Our next stop was to pick up one of Michael's co-workers, then we headed over to The Cuff for karaoke. This place gets so crowded you can only put in two songs at a time. I put in "Paper Roses" by Marie Osmond (because that song had been in my brain all day) and "Proud Mary" by Tina Turner (because its such a fun song to do and people seem to like the way I do it). I bought a round of 151-and-Coke for Mechanic, Michael and I.
Later I bought another cocktail for Michael at his request, and also a drink for his friend. I only spent about half of what Michael spent, though. Michael got up and sang "Hello Again" by Neil Diamond. Two songs later it was my turn and I just loved watching the people dance and snap their fingers and everything. To my ears the applause was long and loud.
When I returned to the table a man came up to me and told me this story about how he used to go to a certain bar in Belltown. When he and his friend walked in one night, the DJ gave them a look and his friend turned to him and said, "The next song he plays is going to be the most hip song he knows." Turned out, it was Proud Mary.
Well, his friend and this friend's wife had a baby, and the birth announcements that were sent to all the friends and relatives were rather creative. Each one said the baby's name was something different. The announcement he received said the baby's name was something like Ava Maria (all the fake names were really funny or outrageous). Next time he saw his friend, he commented on the Ava Maria and said, "I bet you were tempted to call her Proud Mary" based on the experience at the Belltown bar.
Then this man who was whispering in my ear (ask me sometime what whispering in my ear does for me) told me that my performance of the song was "memorable" and he asked me my name. I told him, and he asked if I came there often on karaoke Thursdays. I told him I try to come there at least once or twice a month. He then said he would be watching for me to return again to see me perform.
Wow. Way cool. The story was kinda weird, but he'd been drinking and I'd been drinking and who knows if my memory really remembers it the exact way it was told?
So it's a big day for Mechanic but he will have me there to support him, as well as his other friends. I can't really go into it but let's just say he's facing a challenging time ahead. I respect his courage and his attitude of just getting through it and putting it behind him. He has so many wonderful things going on in his life right now, and he's been so happy.
The main reason I believe is his relationship with Blue. It looks like Mechanic has found what he has been seeking for so long. Sometimes my mind tells me that logically those two would want to be alone together, but he reassures me a lot that he wants me around... we're like a family... It does make me feel better to hear him tell me those things, to get that reassurance.
I feel happy and peaceful right now about my life. In most ways, it is perfect right now. Sure, a bigger place would be nice. Sure, more money would be nice. But I have everything I need and just about everything I want. Mechanic is always saying "Now we just have to find you a man who will f*@& you every night." LOL
Let's just say that there is never a real lack of men interested in only sex, and there's a man in Ohio who wants me in whatever way I'll give myself - although he would prefer marriage. So... I'm working on it.
In the end, though, I have the things that humans need to survive and thrive. I have shelter, food, clothing, medication, intellectual stimulation, and love. Most important is the love.
~Paisley Blue
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© 1998 - 2001 by Jennifer M. Seest
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