Gay Guy's Sequined Sunday

Straight Guy,

Gay Guy had quite the sequined Sunday. There's a place in my neighborhood that's well known for its Sunday Drag Brunch. I've never been, but people line up for it well over an hour before the doors open. A friend couldn't believe I'd never been and got us organized.

The restaurant is a large second floor dining room. There isn't a stage; instead, the performers move around the room, dancing, singing, interacting, and working it hard for singles. The performances are very immediate and in your face, for better or worse. The brunch's drag hostess emceed for a while, which was pretty much taking a scorched earth policy to everyone in the room. Blessedly, we were spared her attention.

There were lots of birthdays and bachelorettes, a few cute guys, but I absolutely fell in love with a family sitting a few tables away. As far as I could tell they were a traditional family--mom and dad, and two girls, whose age I would put at 2 or 3 and 4 or 5. They were just the best. I think the girls were a little overwhelmed for a bit, but they quickly got into it. Laughing, chair dancing, singing. Mom and Dad keep feeding them singles, and before long they were flagging down drag queens with elan. The older girl developed a technique of holding the dollar bills in her fingertips and holding her arm aloft at angle and with a sense of purpose usually reserved for hailing a taxi at rush hour.

The dad was great. He didn't play "I'm a hostage" routine. He got into it, sang along, and encouraged the kids to have a good time.

I noticed the girls had brought Barbie dolls with them. I suspect they thought the drag queens were Barbies come to life.

Note to guy at the end of the bar: You know all the words to the gay anthems "How Will I Know If He Really Loves Me" (Whitney Houston) and "I Will Survive" (Gloria Gaynor). Come out to the woman you were with or I will do it for you.

--Gay Guy