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Delaware Park was a haven of green and black trees standing
against a sky lit charcoal and orange from the city lights. Taryn led
Rosalind down past the Rose Garden, where Shakespeare in the Park
was performed during the summer. Taryn pointed to the hill, her arm
disappearing against the gunmetal gray sky.
People come and set out their blankets, bring a picnic and a bottle
of wine, and watch the show. You d be in Heaven. I always have trouble
following the language, so I make Rhea translate, or I just drink the
wine with Joe and ignore the whole thing. It d be fun with you, though.
You know all that stuff.
I d love to see a Shakespeare play with you. A comedy to start,
I think, but I d work you up to the tragedies. I d have you reciting
Hamlet by the end of the summer, Rosalind said, as they strolled down
the path.
The hill was dark; the lights were fading between the trees. The
park closed at ten, and she should have been afraid. But& she wasn t.
It was being on Taryn s arm, the rightness of it, that made her feel
" 101 "
SUSAN SMITH
immortal. Like nothing could touch her. It helped that Taryn looked
male, especially in the darkness. Another couple walked by them, saw
Rosalind on Taryn s arm, and nodded a greeting before vanishing into
the trees. They thought I was a nice young man escorting you. You can
tell when people don t get it. They don t give you the double take.
Does that bother you? Rosalind asked, leaning against Taryn s
shoulder.
Nah. It s a benefit, at night. People don t fuck with you if you re
a straight couple, not the way they would if they saw us as two women.
It s when the sun is up, and they get a good look at me, that it gets more
complicated.
Rosalind looked at Taryn s profile, etched against the darkness
of the trees, her hair blending with the night. You know, there s a
Shakespeare play where a young woman named Rosalind dresses
as a young man and has a few adventures in a forest. She takes the
name Ganymede, Rosalind said, folding her hand over the arm of the
handsome girl.
So you should be the one in the suit? Taryn asked, amused.
I don t think I d look nearly as good as you do. It s funny, Ellie
told me I d meet my Ganymede. And here you are.
Taryn tilted her head. So you re Zeus? Funny, you don t look like
him without the beard.
You know the story? Rosalind asked, pleased.
Taryn stopped walking. One day Zeus, King of the Gods, was
looking over the earth. He saw this beautiful boy in a field, the most
beautiful boy in the whole world. Zeus went crazy with lust. He did
that all the time apparently. This kid, Ganymede, was just hanging out,
minding his own business, maybe playing a game, and this big eagle
swoops down and grabs him, drags him off to Mount Olympus. He
ended up fetching drinks for Zeus, being his boyfriend. I know most
of the gay stories. They re the only ones I paid attention to. They don t
talk about that one much in school.
They walked down the hill, down to the edge of the lake, where
the path curved and became paved. Benches sat along the walkway; the
water shone dully in the starlight beyond the lip of the stone wall. Taryn
stopped and faced the lake. Here, stand next to me. This is the most
powerful spot in all of Buffalo.
Rosalind stood at Taryn s side, looking up at her profile. Why?
" 102 "
Of Drag Kings & the Wheel of Fate
Besides being next to you, I mean, she whispered, slipping her arm
around Taryn s waist.
Draw an imaginary wheel around us. The Albright-Knox Art
Gallery is to our left, across the road. The Historical Society is in front
of us, off that way. Forest Lawn Cemetery is to the right. Behind us,
that building is the Casino. The city rents the space out. I think there s
a wedding reception starting, from the sounds of the music, up on the
second level. Taryn said this as if it explained everything.
Rosalind was enjoying leaning on Taryn s shoulder, enjoying the
warmth. Her brain was pleasantly floating in the sensations of being in
contact with Taryn. It didn t help her comprehension at all. I m not
sure I get it.
Taryn gestured out into the night, the sweep of her arm taking in
the lake, the building, the lights on the water, the wedding reception
beginning above them. Art on our left, death on our right, history
before us, and love behind us. What could be more powerful than being
in the center of that?
Rosalind considered this. Turning around. So history is behind
us, and love is in front of us. She gently guided Taryn around, until
they faced the Casino.
Music started up on the level above them, the bridal dance. Taryn
stepped away from Rosalind, bowing from the waist, holding out her
hand. Dance with me? It was a question, but the force of Taryn s charm
was behind it, making it an invitation guaranteed to be accepted.
Rosalind had stepped forward and taken Taryn s hand without even
thinking about it. Truthfully, she d started moving the minute Taryn held
out her hand, whatever invitation was being offered. She put her arm
around the drag king s shoulder and felt her hand on her waist.
Taryn led, and they danced in the night, on the shore of the lake,
moving in and out of the light that spilled from the wedding reception
above. Rosalind could see, as she turned, an old woman sitting on the
stone wall to get some air. She watched them until the song ended
before turning back to the reception.
The song ended. Taryn spun Rosalind to a slow stop, reluctant to
let her go. Rosalind was entertaining the nicest fantasy, with Taryn in
her arms, dancing in a public place, people looking on and commenting
on how well they looked together. She was still warmed by this thought [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl wyciskamy.pev.pl
Delaware Park was a haven of green and black trees standing
against a sky lit charcoal and orange from the city lights. Taryn led
Rosalind down past the Rose Garden, where Shakespeare in the Park
was performed during the summer. Taryn pointed to the hill, her arm
disappearing against the gunmetal gray sky.
People come and set out their blankets, bring a picnic and a bottle
of wine, and watch the show. You d be in Heaven. I always have trouble
following the language, so I make Rhea translate, or I just drink the
wine with Joe and ignore the whole thing. It d be fun with you, though.
You know all that stuff.
I d love to see a Shakespeare play with you. A comedy to start,
I think, but I d work you up to the tragedies. I d have you reciting
Hamlet by the end of the summer, Rosalind said, as they strolled down
the path.
The hill was dark; the lights were fading between the trees. The
park closed at ten, and she should have been afraid. But& she wasn t.
It was being on Taryn s arm, the rightness of it, that made her feel
" 101 "
SUSAN SMITH
immortal. Like nothing could touch her. It helped that Taryn looked
male, especially in the darkness. Another couple walked by them, saw
Rosalind on Taryn s arm, and nodded a greeting before vanishing into
the trees. They thought I was a nice young man escorting you. You can
tell when people don t get it. They don t give you the double take.
Does that bother you? Rosalind asked, leaning against Taryn s
shoulder.
Nah. It s a benefit, at night. People don t fuck with you if you re
a straight couple, not the way they would if they saw us as two women.
It s when the sun is up, and they get a good look at me, that it gets more
complicated.
Rosalind looked at Taryn s profile, etched against the darkness
of the trees, her hair blending with the night. You know, there s a
Shakespeare play where a young woman named Rosalind dresses
as a young man and has a few adventures in a forest. She takes the
name Ganymede, Rosalind said, folding her hand over the arm of the
handsome girl.
So you should be the one in the suit? Taryn asked, amused.
I don t think I d look nearly as good as you do. It s funny, Ellie
told me I d meet my Ganymede. And here you are.
Taryn tilted her head. So you re Zeus? Funny, you don t look like
him without the beard.
You know the story? Rosalind asked, pleased.
Taryn stopped walking. One day Zeus, King of the Gods, was
looking over the earth. He saw this beautiful boy in a field, the most
beautiful boy in the whole world. Zeus went crazy with lust. He did
that all the time apparently. This kid, Ganymede, was just hanging out,
minding his own business, maybe playing a game, and this big eagle
swoops down and grabs him, drags him off to Mount Olympus. He
ended up fetching drinks for Zeus, being his boyfriend. I know most
of the gay stories. They re the only ones I paid attention to. They don t
talk about that one much in school.
They walked down the hill, down to the edge of the lake, where
the path curved and became paved. Benches sat along the walkway; the
water shone dully in the starlight beyond the lip of the stone wall. Taryn
stopped and faced the lake. Here, stand next to me. This is the most
powerful spot in all of Buffalo.
Rosalind stood at Taryn s side, looking up at her profile. Why?
" 102 "
Of Drag Kings & the Wheel of Fate
Besides being next to you, I mean, she whispered, slipping her arm
around Taryn s waist.
Draw an imaginary wheel around us. The Albright-Knox Art
Gallery is to our left, across the road. The Historical Society is in front
of us, off that way. Forest Lawn Cemetery is to the right. Behind us,
that building is the Casino. The city rents the space out. I think there s
a wedding reception starting, from the sounds of the music, up on the
second level. Taryn said this as if it explained everything.
Rosalind was enjoying leaning on Taryn s shoulder, enjoying the
warmth. Her brain was pleasantly floating in the sensations of being in
contact with Taryn. It didn t help her comprehension at all. I m not
sure I get it.
Taryn gestured out into the night, the sweep of her arm taking in
the lake, the building, the lights on the water, the wedding reception
beginning above them. Art on our left, death on our right, history
before us, and love behind us. What could be more powerful than being
in the center of that?
Rosalind considered this. Turning around. So history is behind
us, and love is in front of us. She gently guided Taryn around, until
they faced the Casino.
Music started up on the level above them, the bridal dance. Taryn
stepped away from Rosalind, bowing from the waist, holding out her
hand. Dance with me? It was a question, but the force of Taryn s charm
was behind it, making it an invitation guaranteed to be accepted.
Rosalind had stepped forward and taken Taryn s hand without even
thinking about it. Truthfully, she d started moving the minute Taryn held
out her hand, whatever invitation was being offered. She put her arm
around the drag king s shoulder and felt her hand on her waist.
Taryn led, and they danced in the night, on the shore of the lake,
moving in and out of the light that spilled from the wedding reception
above. Rosalind could see, as she turned, an old woman sitting on the
stone wall to get some air. She watched them until the song ended
before turning back to the reception.
The song ended. Taryn spun Rosalind to a slow stop, reluctant to
let her go. Rosalind was entertaining the nicest fantasy, with Taryn in
her arms, dancing in a public place, people looking on and commenting
on how well they looked together. She was still warmed by this thought [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]