Interlude: My Lampontas

I think I mentioned before that this year my Lampontas celebration (Celebration of Helios light bringer) would coincide with the Columbus Gay Pride celebration in Columbus Ohio, and I want to say that that festival, and my private prayers in the morning, and my more carnal celebrations in honor of Aphrodite, went better than I expected, but not as well as they could have.

The day began around 4 in the morning with a rise to business and when the sun rose, an offering to Helios. I then took the Greyhound out to Columbus where we joined the Pride Parade in progress. It was a wild parade, not like the rather sedate one here in Dayton (Which is still a small and growing Pride festival). I went with a friend of mine, which may have been a mistake on my part because while I love him to death, a loner like me has a hard time letting loose with friends around in those kinds of situations. But, at the least I had someone to talk to, which is always welcome.

Other than this, I had a few issues with the nature of these festivals, the commercializing, advertising, etc, sometimes overwhelm the spirit of the festival. That said, though, the stages were two, and they seemed to be divided into two categories. One, official announcements, awards, and performers, which were all quite good, and the other seemed local performers, like flag bands, drag shows (Queen and King) and other similar things.

We walked through the festival, stopping to drink, sit in the shade, etc., and we enjoyed the scenery, which included a lot of barely covered human flesh. My compatriot was rather taken aback by the titties on display, but I figure what the hell, what’s good for the gander is good for the goose, right?

I only saw or ran into a couple of friends from Dayton. Dayton’s gay community is much more closeted and disinterested than Columbus’, it is almost as if they just believe in one thing, themselves.

I suppose it goes with progress that people think things like Pride are not necessary, and part of the symptoms of a conservative society that so many gays hang on to the “it’s nobodies business” attitude that makes them see exhibitions of homosexuality in all its diversity, from geeks to freaks, as something that should be quashed.

Zeus was kind, the weather was hot, but hardly humid, and a steady breeze that kept us all cool the whole day.

I ended up going to Flex, a bathhouse, and yes, I know how to protect myself, and there indulged my slutty side. I make no apologies for that, I was a total slut, and I liked it (steal that lyric, Katie) and I was rewarded by Aphrodite with a sense of calm and a few rockin’ orgasms (mine and those of my partners, can I hear an amen?) and even came home with a couple of phone numbers.

Not bad for a fat ugly guy like me. :)

I have, of course, left out a lot of detail, but that’s to be expected. I have to keep some things private, after all.