Hello I'm Rich Brown and this is my personal website and blog. I'm just your simple, average, down to earth, professional, out gay man and aspiring circuit boy, living in Phoenix, Arizona with a few things to say while trying to find my place among all the scary, conservative, religious nuts in this sick and twisted world.
Friday, March 03, 2006
Assumptions
I was going to write this bitter flame post on how I was irritated about the assumptions that people make, but I'm pretty much over it now. Let me back up for a second and explain.
I just returned home from the UPS Store where I went to ship out a package. While waiting for the clerk to process my package I noticed another customer walk in. I looked over at him and realized immediately that I recognized him from somewhere, but couldn't quite put my finger on where. He was a fairly good looking guy, and nicely dressed. He looked at me and immediately said "Hey ... Where do I know you from?" I replied that I was thinking the same but couldn't remember. I asked him if he worked around here and he said no, in Chandler, but didn't provide any additional information regarding his job. He asked me what I did and I replied that I was a software engineer. He said hmmm ... he then said ... "Which church do you go too ... is it around here?"
<*Insert Loud Record Scratch Here*>
Excuse me I thought ... church? I calmly replied that I did not go to church around here. He shrugged and just agreed that he couldn't remember either. He reached out his hand to shake mine and said "Well hello anyway I'm Mike ..." I shook his hand and of course returned my name as well. I quickly looked down to his other hand to see if he was wearing a wedding band as I always do out of habit (not that it means anything since Justin and I also wear bands, but it's something many of us Gay boys have grown accustomed to doing these days before eyeing up potential prospects ... LOL) Indeed he was wearing a wedding band so chances were greater that he was married (to a woman) and I knew him from a purely acquaintance perspective ;-)
We both returned to what we were doing and settled on the fact that neither could remember where we knew the other from. Walking out of the store right after him, I noticed him get into his car where he wife and newly born child were patiently waiting for him. I immediately laughed, thinking to myself that I was indeed correct about the wedding band.
I was however slightly disturbed about the church question until I thought about it on the way home and realized that for people who actually do go to church (i.e. my Mother), they just couldn't fathom the fact that there are those of us out there that do not. So rather then being irritated at someone asking me a question like where I went to church and automatically assuming that I do go to church, I'll just chalk another one up to narrow minds.
I think things like this bother me because assumptions in the world are not a random occurrence and especially in the gay community, we're subjected to multitude of assumptions from people on a fairly regular basis. Assumptions such that the person you live with is either your 'roommate', your 'brother' or better yet your 'son' ... yes I've gotten that on more then one occasion, but we're not going to talk about that today. Assumptions that because your gay you know EVERYTHING about fashion, decorating and hair (Of course I DO, but that's NOT the point here ... Focus people!) Assumptions that because your gay your an obsessive compulsive neat freak (Of course I AM, but I know plenty of really sloppy gay boys, ahem, *Looks over at Justin's Desk*)
Anyway, my point being is that I really wish people would think with more of an open mind before making assumptions. It's really not that difficult. Ok that's my rant for the week. As usual it's been a busy week. Justin and I are off to see Mamma Mia tomorrow at ASU's Gammage Auditorium. Hopefully it should be a nice relaxing weekend for a change. Cheers.
Maybe he just thought he'd seen you at his church??
Hope you are having a great time at Mamma Mia!! :-)
|______________________________________________________________________ posted by Jude @ Saturday, March 04, 2006 9:20:00 PM
I was at brunch last week with a group of 12 female teachers. Once word got out that I was gay I became THE spokesperson for ALL gay men in the world. Needless to say I'm not exactly the best person for the job but I thought it was funny.
|______________________________________________________________________ posted by potusol @ Wednesday, March 08, 2006 8:37:00 PM
I'm sure you're correct Jude, he was just thinking I went to his church ... but you know me I have to get in a tizzy to have something to write about. :-)
And Jeff aren't you the official Gay spokesperson? Did you resign and not tell anyone? ;-)
|______________________________________________________________________ posted by Rich Brown @ Thursday, March 09, 2006 1:48:00 PM
You know what they say:
When you assume you make an ASS out of U and ME...
;)
|______________________________________________________________________ posted by LYD @ Tuesday, March 14, 2006 5:41:00 PM
