shouldn't u b on an island somewhere?

Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 8:10 a.m.

I was on the platform and saw my friend Michael on the street. He works at a stuffy company that requires a tie but today he was wearing jeans and a polo. He usually enters on the same side of the platform I enter but today he went to the other side. There was a train pulling up so I was not able to catch him four cars ahead.

I sent a text message about his casual wear and he responded with a "shouldn't u b on an island somewhere?" I am going on vacation in two days and it is obvious that I have exhausted my friends with my enthusiasm for it.

There was a man wearing this really interesting suit with a very stylish and unique cut. His shirt was yellow which you do not see very often but it tied nicely with a great tie. For being so stylish, his briefcase was rather bland.

There was an announcement about the trains moving slower as they are doing improvements for our benefit (when this was said, a man with a beard that was a little too groomed to get that messy look rolled his eyes). This benefit came with the price that the red line would be travelling slow all the way to the loop. This prompted me to get off the red line and take the purple line.

The purple line is always packed with some Evanston types which is the intelligentsia, granola type. I love the purple line because people seemed more relaxed because they know their ride is at least an hour so they kind of zen into the experience. Plus there is something to being actually elevated the whole el ride.

At least I got my own seat

Monday, June 12, 2006 - 5:05 p.m.

The train was not that crowded but by Chicago, every seat was taken. A man came on the train, looked around and saw that there was no seat. He just decided to sit in the middle of the aisle on his foot. He gracefully sat down like a yoga move.

Cory called me when I approached Belmont. I had a conversation with him about the dating practice of our friend Patrick. We ended the conversation with the standard "I love you." I keep my earpiece up high because I am hard of hearing.

When I get off the phone and return to my crossword puzzle, the man sitting next to me got up and moved to a worse seat on the train.

I assume he was afraid of getting any of the contagious gay germs that I obviously omit while riding the train. Or maybe he needed some more quiet to read his Wall Street Journal and my phone call disrupted him. Maybe the person he was now sitting with was a telekinetic friend which is why they said nothing.

I was taken aback by this man moving and could not believe that someone on the el in Chicago would move because of homophobia. I was not the only gay on the train. It made me feel like when I worked in summer stock theatre and one of the high school actors parents would SCOWL at me b/c they knew I was gay (by the way, their son was out within three years and I hope the scowl went away then).

I realize that homophobia exists even in Chicago and getting called a faggot has happened to me and most gay men. The passive dissing is worse in a way b/c this person probably works with a bunch of gay men but then with his friends on the weekend is talking about how much he hates the "faggots that he sees every day".

Thanks fucker for letting me have my own seat.

Monday, June 12, 2006 - 8:12 a.m.

It has been so long since I rode the el. Being out of town last week then driving the remaining days has caused an el absence in my life.

I never understand when the train just slows down. No reason given. No warning. We got to our first five stops relatively fast then just sat there between Addison and Belmont. Once the train started again, we would go about half speed all the way to downtown.

The first man I sat next to was really twitchy and very focused on the RedEye 1-star Soduku. He got off at Belmont and I noticed he had a briefcase, lunchbox and fanny pack (he also had some phone/blackberry attached to his belt which I always have issue with). How much crap does one person need just to go to work? Wouldn't you get just one big bag?

The woman sitting in front of me in the parellel seat was wearing her full McDonalds uniform. She got on at Addison. I wondered why she would work all the way downtown rather than the McDonalds a block from the Addison stop. I realize that you take jobs available to you and all ...

The man across from her was reading this very sensitive looking book, like he was getting in touch with his emotional side. He was also wearing a green-striped necktie as his belt.