Portland Gay Pride

Today was the massive Gay Pride Parade, and unpredictable circumstances led to my attempt to avoid it. 

Cristina called late last night to say she couldn’t get a hotel in Seattle that would let them stay with a 3-year-old German Shepherd. So her plan was to wake the children at 2 in the morning and drive to Seattle on Monday, hoping to make it to their 8:30 a.m. appointment at the passport office. Cristina FaceTimed Bella to tell her, and I overheard. I broke into their conversation in an uncharacteristically bossy way, insisting that was a terrible plan (I don’t think I’ve ever complained about one of Cristina’s plans before). She would inevitably run late because the children don’t move fast at 2 a.m. Then she’d be driving into Seattle during morning rush hour, trying to get to an 8:30 appointment that means the difference between going or not going to Greece. 

No, I said. That won’t work. I will stay with Felix. You all go to Seattle today and stay in a hotel so you will be at the passport office without fail at 8:30 tomorrow. As soon as Cristina’s plane touched down in Portland, I left the children alone for an hour and drove to my house with my bags, took a shower and dressed in fresh clothes because I hadn’t brought more clothes than I thought I needed. Then I took the car to Sue’s house (avoiding said Gay Pride Parade) because she needs the car tomorrow to transport Eliana to camp. Sue drove me to the commuter train that took me out to Beaverton, where Cristina and the children met me and we returned to their house. 

I’ll spend the night at theirs, take care of Felix, water the garden, and wait for Cristina’s call after her appointment in the morning. If she can get the passports tomorrow, I’ll get a Lyft home as soon as they’re on the road back to Portland. If they have to stay a second night in the hotel, I’ll stay another night at their place with Felix and make some changes in my plans with Sue and Margie. 

The train was packed with joyful people from Gay Pride events happening all over town: the parade of course, but also concerts, festivals, kiosks, food—the whole city explodes with rainbow flags, flamboyantly-dressed shiny people, big men in tutus, dykes in plaid shirts, and Trans people, some wearing Trans flags draped over their shoulders like capes, and others blending into the crowd as the gender they know themselves to be. 

The beautiful non-binary being who is the subject of my Blip was wearing a leather jacket and a shiny bronze skirt over fishnet tights with leather boots. I asked if I could make a photo, and they graciously said yes, but they didn't tell me their name. I’d have loved a photo of the whole outfit, but they were standing in front of where I was sitting, and there wasn’t room for either of us to move.