[Girl A] and I lay in her bed, her breath against my neck as I explained what had happened. It was unexpectedly cold and we were bundled together in blankets and enveloped in darkness. She was close enough to whisper to me, but she wasn’t in a whispering mood. “I wanna go kick her ass.” She shouted in my ear. I explained that while I appreciated it, I appreciated even more that she was just there with me. I needed her warmth more than I needed vengeance; her touch more than anger. Maybe I deserved the violence. Maybe I forced the frightened beast to finally act out and use my face was a punching bag. Free from aggression, but also robbed of a physical address, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I didn’t know if I could go back to my mom’s house (for logistical AND mental health reasons). For about the thousandth time in my life, my dear friend [Girl B], who had heard about my predicament, reached out and told me that I could stay at her apartment. “Nobody’s there hon,” she explained. “I’ve been staying at my girlfriend’s house and my apartment is fully furnished. You’re more than welcome to stay ‘til the end of the month when the lease is up.”
And so I did. You know what I love about women? Well, a lot of things. Most things, really, but I love that they all seem to be big fans of pillows. [Girl B]’s apartment was a fantastic place to crash. There was all this lovely lesbian art all over the walls. A 6-foot long redhead barely wearing a blanket lying in a field of flowers over the couch was complemented perfectly by three nude sketches of cherubic brunettes on the opposite wall. The busty blonde advertising WWII-era soda on a tin in bright red & yellow by the kitchen made me want to drink a soda like the antidote was in there. And there. were. pillows. EVERYWHERE. I showed up with a bag of clothes and a bicycle, and some cookie dough I made the day before “the incident” that I could have easily left at my old house, but I decided it was way too good a recipe to leave with someone so crappy. There was toffee involved, c’mon now. Some things you take with you. I mean, I left her the couches, so it’s safe to assume my priorities are a little out of whack.
When the lease was up at [Girl B]’s house, I was never worried that I would be homeless. Instead, women all over the map reached out to me; ready to give their time and a kind ear (and so so many free meals) to let me know that whatever awfulness had happened to me, it would be countered tenfold with goodness and love. And to them, to all of them, I just want to take a minute to tell them that I appreciate and love each and every one of them.
On the day we take to celebrate the people we love, I want to say that the kindness of these women has and continues to surprise and strengthen me in a way that I hope to show them within our lifetimes. I owe my future success to these women, from my immeasurably caring mom who gives me everything, to my beautiful and hilarious grandma who teaches me new things every time I see her; from my baby bird who speaks in poems and profundity to my mighty oak who has no idea the power she has at her disposal; from my sister whose son has taught me unconditional love to my aunt who always has something delicious for me if I just make the trek to her house; from the masseuse who traded me a full body massage for a beer to be shared later to the hairstylist who goes to great lengths to make sure I don’t look like the King of the Hobos. Obviously, [Girl B] knows I will owe her for her awesomeness forever, and I can live with that.
P.S. [Girl A], Thanks for not beating anyone up. I’m better off now than I’ve ever been. Sometimes when we lose, we win.
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Hello tastemakers and party people. Please give a listen to my new song, won't you? It's a song about engaging in the act of infidelity, in high fidelity. I wrote it a long time ago, but if you know me, you understand that I am often pondering things until it is not really reasonable to do so and the next thing you know it's been five years. Anyway, please find the song at SoundCloud where the song can be streamed and/or downloaded at your leisure. There's even a prelude where I be croonin' and shit, ya know, for the ladies.
