05 October 2008

From Chicago, its Marc and Jamie

When I was in Chicago last month, I got to see my friend Marc. I met Marc back in 1997, when I was working at the Borders store in Oak Brook. We became friends of a sort, at first, but it wasn't until later in '98 ( I think) that we started hanging out. By then, we had added guys like Stan and Paul and the very lovely Jamie to the mix. We all brought something different to the table, but mostly it was music and our love for Steel Magnolias.

Marc has a huge encyclopedia memory- and love - of music, something to this day I lack. If it wasn't for him, I don't think I would know half the stuff I love.

Anyways, it was his birthday on September 21, and despite still not feeling myself (I ended up being sick half the time was in Chicago), I ventured downtown to see him and to help celebrate his birthday. I also, briefly, got to see Dave and Andrew, another one of my friends I miss terribly.

Marc, for my birthday, gave me another classic mix CD. I love them in many ways, if only because Marc does know what I like. I kinda could not wait to get home to put it on my iPod -I did listen to it several times in my sisters car that I drove back from downtown.

Also there was Jamie. I've known her just as long as Marc, and despite the fact she lives in West Hollywood now with her handsome husband Andrew, we rarely see each other. It was just a weird cosmic coincidence she was in town the same time as me.

Jamie and Marc are the true Will & Grace of the world. These two get along so perfectly, love nearly the same things and laugh like school girls over almost anything. I'm jealous in many ways of their friendship. But I can also see why Jamie and I don't see each other. We have -like I see in my family -very little in common. I'm terrible with small talk, and I'm very critical of things. In some ways, I'm not as gay as others, as I find shows that run on Bravo to be horrible (though, I do love me some Tim Gunn). They love that stuff, and so I have to keep my mouth shut, if only because I have a tendency to say mean things, not realizing what I'm saying is mean. It's a bizarre trait I picked up from my Mother.

I'm also jealous of Marc and Jamie's success in the world, too. Both have these huge, gregarious personalities that draws people to them. Always, always, they are usually at the center of any conversation. It baffles me why I cannot be like them. And Jamie has a pretty kick-ass job. Something I would love, love to do.

Even while I never, ever want to live in Illinois again (though if I did, I would want to live in the city), those small groups of friends I miss, much like a person misses a limb. I feel lost without them, yet when I get together with them, I'm adrift in what to say to them. It's an odd thing, you know.

If you want to know more about Marc and Jamie, visit them at ORD to LAX





1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Dave,
You are the sweetest! And too hard on yourself. :) You might not be loud and obnoxious (like me and Marc!), but you are passionate. Passionate about the things you love in a way that makes me supremely jealous. I don't have anything like that in my life (except maybe my handsome husband!). I really admire the fact that you recognized how unhappy you were in Chicago and you up and did something about it all by yourself. That takes character and serious guts. I think we'd all be better off if we were just a little bit more like you. I'm so glad we were both in Chicago at the same time. We should get the band back together more often! XOXO