Nostalgic Pride

The morning revealed a calm breeze and ostrich feathers whisking through an ash blue sky, the sun stroking the top of the Uintah Mountains. The temperature would scale upwards of 85 degrees by the time Gay Pride Day, June 14, 1998 ended.
A ray of sunlight slipped through the blinds covering Eddie’s bedroom window and sprayed across his face. His eyes winced as if he was just pricked with a flu shot, then they fluttered open. His memory of the previous night painfully drowned in the several Long Island iced teas he snorkeled in at The Deerhunter.
He rubbed the haze from his eyes and glanced over at the body sprawled next to his. A small grin broke. Then he slipped from the covers and quietly skirted into the kitchen to make coffee.
Having slept through the Gay Pride Parade that had flowed through downtown Salt Lake City from the Capitol to the City-County Building at nine, Eddie decided to invite Josh, his boyfriend Matthew, and Owen over for mimosas before heading to the Pride festival. They were all sitting sporadically about Eddie’s small but functional living room when Sleeping Buddy emerged from the bedroom at a half past ten.
"Morning sunshine," Eddie said smiling, "Ready for a mimosa?" He raised his glass to him in offering.
Sleeping Buddy mumbled something indecipherable and slid into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.
"Not exactly a morning person is he," Josh said.
Eddie shrugged, lifted himself from the couch and made way to the kitchen to make Sleeping Buddy a drink.
Two hours later Owen parked his Jetta on 5th South just across from the City-County Building, a lavishly-sculpted granite and sandstone structure, built in the late 1800s. The clock tower atop the center takes the perception of a giant candle on a German chocolate cake.
Hundreds of homosexuals, their children and pets, and a few of their straight counterparts were already milling about the grounds — some wandering through the couple dozen booths, eyeing rainbow emblazoned jewelry, trinkets, hats and shirts. Others sprawled out on blankets or lounging in folding lawn chairs, legs propped on coolers as if guarding the contents.
Most festival-goers were dressed casually and conservatively, and as five toe-heads (none of which were natural) approached the area, heads turned: Eddie in a spandex-polyester blend shirt illustrated with vibrant apples, red and green grapes and bananas, and lime green silk boxers; Owen shirtless in camouflage shortalls; Josh draped in a flowered spaghetti-strap summer dress and combat boots; Matthew in a cropped, white t-shirt and blue sarong, and Sleeping Buddy in Daisy Dukes and tie-dyed tank top. Each carried a travel mug or Big Gulp cup holding rum topped off sparingly with Coca-Cola.
Several familiar faces approached the group with compliments on their attire; others gave them disappointed looks that read, "How could you embarrass us like that?" The quintet wandered for about 15 minutes, watched a few uninspiring acts on the one stage, then sat together on blankets sunbathing and watching all the cliques as they hoot-n-hollered like they were the most hilarious people alive.
As the sun traveled westerly and beat down on the sun goddesses that were Josh, Eddie, Owen, Matthew and Sleeping Buddy, and as the several trips to Owen’s Jetta for refills began to strip the goddesses of their prowess, they agreed to go party poolside in Eddie’s backyard.
On the way out, an exuberantly giddy young woman (probably had been 4:20 all day for her) noticed Eddie and screamed as if she just won Publisher’s Clearing House. Stuck to her slight waist and shapeless legs was the matching pair of pants to Eddie’s shirt.
Through little persuasion (due to alcohol consumption), Eddie agreed to swap his fruity shirt for the ecstatic woman’s sweat-stained maroon top. But then was taken aback when suddenly she lifted her shirt and bare Hostess Snoball-size breasts appeared as if out of nowhere.
"I’m Eddie. This is Owen, Josh, his boyfriend Matthew," sputtered Eddie, then putting his arm around Sleeping Buddy, he added, "And this is my boyfriend Jacin."
She shook each of their hands, "I’m Trixie and this is my husband Geoff," she pointed to her handsome, but clueless companion. " ... with a G," she clarified.
After a few pleasantries, the stoned couple walked off, and as Eddie watch Trixie bound down the street — dressed neck-to-toe in fruit — he concluded her name fit the outfit, and felt charitable about trading his shirt for one that reeked like worn tennis shoes and clove cigarettes.
The boys returned to Eddie’s apartment, switched to beer, filled the plastic kiddie pool and sat waist-deep in the cold water, singing along to such hits as Will Smith’s "Getting’ Jiggy Wit It" and "The Boy Is Mine" by Brandy & Monica, blasting from the portable stereo.
Later that evening, Eddie and Jacin — being die-hard party animals — left the others crashed out on Eddie’s living room floor and cabbed it to Bricks’ post-Pride beer-bust party where they danced and made out until they were seeing double.
Their first Gay Pride Day as a couple left Eddie and Jacin plastered and truly thankful they had requested the following day off work.