“ You see, no one ever called me darling before”

Yesterday I had coffee with a friend, Steven, who I’ve know for years

He’s gay but not “out” 

A decision I don’t quite understand in this day and age, but one I respect.

He’s younger than me and is in his late 40s

And all he wants is to find Mr Right.

I think he gets a little exasperated with me when Mr Right is mentioned , for I often lapse into Victoria Woods’ now classic mini documentary Mr Right where Anne Reid, playing spinster Pamela Twill famously muses

“Mr Right? …..hummm…I've met Mr Wrong…..I've met several Mr Reasonably Okays……….. I've spent a very long afternoon in a bus shelter with Mr Halitosis.”

 Steven always gets a bit haughty when I quote Victoria Wood at him and accuses me of not taking him seriously.

I apologise as I should do. 

He just wants to be part of a couple and always asks me if I’ve met anyone “ Nice” in the constant hope that I haven’t .

I never let him down in that hope.

“ Your problem John, is that you don’t try hard enough” Steven advised after telling me all about a frenetic date he had just had on Grindr “ You don’t put yourself out there?” 

I’m not sure just what he meant by “ out there” as to me the apps are all about sex and very little else

so I laughed at the dichotomy

I think I’m becoming content with being “ Charlotte Vale “ I told him

He looked confused 

“ Now Voyager? “ I explained and he shrugged . 

Steven is not a cinefile gay

I was going to become fully Bette Davis with Charlotte’s full and most famous quote in character

but settled with a half arsed version with a mild pouting 

“ Oh, Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars.”

Steven laughed and asked 

“ Who the fuck is Jerry?”

from Going Gently https://ift.tt/3GrC9Si