We started out with 56 reservations on the books today when I went in and by 9pm we had 22 cancellations and no-shows. A small part of this was due to the rain we had, you can always count on a few people put off by the weather, but 22?!

Standing around the podium at the front desk talking shop we came to the conclusion that this might have something to do with an unfortunate event the city of Boston experienced recently. Monday night a panel of the Mass Turnpike, the newest addition to the system of tunnels that make up the Big Dig, fell down on a car killing a woman. This probably scared a few motorists from driving in and around anything to do with subterranean tunnels. I know it scared me enough that today and yesterday I took surface roads to work, avoiding anything underground. As of now there has been over 60 “trouble spots” identified with fingers and blame pointed at everybody involved. The nation’s largest public works project is turning into a brawl of accusations. It sucks no matter how you slice it.

Moving right along to the brighter side of things, my biggest fan in Philadelphia, Rita, and her husband surprised me and made my week by coming into the restaurant tonight for dinner. She had mentioned early in the month prior that she was coming to Bean town and asked for my recommendations for good eats. I of course recommended Aquitaine and 3 or so others I felt were up to our standards. A little after 6:30 I was standing at the back when this adorable woman came towards me and assuming she wanted the restroom, I smiled and said, “First door on your left”. She replied with, “I’m Rita!” Needless to say I was floored. We talked a bit; I met her husband Jim and had the chef cook up a little Soigné course of Duck Ravioli. They seemed to enjoy themselves very much. I was proud that they chose Aquitaine and that it lived up to my bragging.

There is one word to describe the general disposition of today. BIZZARE. It started at work with table seven. They walked in, a couple, looking very pleasant and I was looking forward to contributing to their dining experience. When asked if they would prefer bottled water or good ole Boston tap, the gentleman’s reply was a stiff “Gimme a Heineken” that was said looking down at his menu. I repeated the question unsatisfied with my answer until his female companion answered me with the appropriate response. When I returned with the beer I was hoping they had made their selections and would soon be off to their next engagement. I asked if they had any questions, something told me they had a few. I was right. She asked me what kind of food this is; I replied that it was French cuisine. She was clearly annoyed.

“Do you have any seafood?” was her next response as she looked at me unwilling to glance at the menu. At this point I had grabbed the menu that the gentleman was using as a coaster for his Heni. I began to recite the four seafood items in descending order from the top hoping she would join me in the experience. She did nothing of the sort. Instead she looked up, she looked down and to the side until she heard something she recognized. Scallops. “Great!” I replied and moved on to her friend who had finished about three fourths of the beer. He was not in the mood for any dialogue and asked me if we had any steak. I said yes, avoiding another menu recital. Medium rare he replied into his pilsner glass and I was of to the Micros machine to put in the order.

The rest of the evening maintained that same sort of annoying tone, except that this time it came from within. I sucked. I really did. I was missing the small steps that made me feel and probably look really inexperienced and slacking. I could not catch up and was 2 steps behind the whole night. Thank God my co-workers were on their game and had my back.

The finale to my evening was table 24. Early on the woman of the party had given me her credit card; she wanted to treat the table to dinner. A lovely gesture I thought as I put her card in my pocket. Later on, my GM came up to me and handed me another card and said that the gentleman at the table wanted to pay. I said that I already had a card and that it was already done. She shot back “You take care of it” - a most proper response.

So upon presenting the bill, I gave the woman her copy and card in a check presenter and thanked her, I then gave the guy his card and said that she had beaten him to the punch. He leapt across the table up to his waist and tried to grab the check from her hand all the while telling saying, “No! No! No!” I said it had already been run and… “Reverse it! Reverse it” he screamed. I could not believe that this was happening in front of me. For one thing I cannot stand when I bring the bill to the table and everybody fights and grabs over it. Secondly when they go as far as to include me in the scuffle, looking at me threateningly it infuriates me. I said that it was her win and he should say thank you. I then walked away, towards the back, to catch some air and shake off that shabby display of manners. As soon as I walked out side it became crystal clear why this night had gone the way it had. My answer shone brightly in the sky overhead in a cream colored sphere.

I decided that I would go to P’town yesterday. Having lived there I know that Saturday following the fourth is the day of transition between two very different sets of gay men. The circuit crew was here since last Sat for P’town’s legendary 4th week and would be departing just in time to cross paths with bears coming in for Bear Week.

For those of you a little lost, a bear by definition in the gay world is the kind of guy that doesn’t necessarily fit the stereotype of your typical gay male. They are usually hairy, stocky and like to drink unlike their circuit brothers who are closely manicured and usually sip on water all week. Anyhow, I chose this time deliberately because the circuit crowd would be a bit more than I care to handle these days. Don’t get me wrong, I still like to hang with those boys, but not on my home turf. I would much rather partake of that when I have a hotel room and a departing plane ticket.

I also find the bears much easier to deal with. They are not so concerned with how they look to themselves or other people and that allows them to open up and fully enjoy themselves. Unlike the standard gay clones that rarely venture far from the herd, bears are not afraid to say a simple eye contacted “Hello!” Confidence and an outgoing personality are so much sexier to me than a six pack and a pretty bum.

All I needed was the day yesterday to enjoy and feel like it was time well spent. Plus, I needed to get the first batch of my newly resized T-shirts to Ruff Ryder for sale. My day was spent hanging on the beach in front of my house and strolling up and down the main drag, Commercial St. Walking among this new crowd I myself felt more confident and at ease. Their attitude is impossible not to taste, the confidence exudes and is easily taken in. All good things must come to an end as I needed to get back today to get myself ready for my work week. I have a very good friend and his partner coming in from LA to P’town and staying at my place come Tues for a week. This is the man that took me in my first summer and that I lived with that summer and my next. We also spent the winter together between those two summers in South Beach. Needless to say I owe the man. I am totally stoked to be seeing him this Thurs for the weekend in our “hometown” where it all began.

My camera that Billy gave me is starting to show signs of decay. It took me several tries to power it on and a couple more to get the display screen to come up. I have been eyeing this cute little pocket sized Cannon and I think that this will be my new best friend. Boy Wonder is going to love it. I managed to get a couple shots of the view from my beach for the entry today and you all can expect to start “seeing more” on here very soon.