Sorry, We’re Closed

So, last Wednesday night was the end of the bowling season,

The date which had been set in my mind as the end of my day as boy.

Now, work and commitment to family has meant it wasn’t completely my last day as a boy,

Around everyone.

But it was,

My last day as boy around The UnUsual Suspects.

And though it wasn’t mentioned at all during the evening,

I was well aware of it throughout.

I’ll never see these people again as Joe.

Now it was a great end of the season night …

We had the traditional pre-bowling tailgate where I actually had a bar stool for a change !! (No, not because someone finally decided to save FIVE bar stools instead of just four, but because Hottie wasn’t able to make the season ending tailgate and I was able to scam his traditional seat. Oh well. I take what I can get !! :))

We enjoyed Fun Night at bowling where we were served lots and lots of somewhat cold pizza !! (No complaints though, I love eating food with my fingers while I’m having to stick those same fingers in a gross bowling ball throughout … adds flavor !! Sure, it’s not Lawry’s, but still … :))

We even had money distributed at the end of the bowling for the season’s prizes and evenings special little competitions. Our team locked up last place for the second half of the season the week before, which combined with our sixth place for the first half of the season, left us firmly in next to last place for the entire year !! 🙂 Netting each of us $65.00 a person in prize money. (Yeah, clearly … it’s not about the bowling or the prize money !! :))

Shaft’s Twin even showed up for the first time all season, staying until closing time …

And it was super nice seeing her.

She was joined by Hottie’s Kute Friend, Whose Not Quite As Kute as Hottie, But Just As Nice …

And the two of them were a nice cheering section,

As I bowled outta my butt on my last night as team anchor.

Season Final Stats:

Joe Hairdy Average – 151,

Hottie Average – 147.

(Worthless hormone impact on bowling analysis … My bowling average hasn’t changed much at all since I started hormones … last year’s was a 150 season ending, the year before was a 151, the year before was a 151 and this year was a … can we say it … 151. I’m so phreakin’ predictable ! So whether I am boy-mone or girl-mone … I’m pretty much a 150 bowler.)

Yes, it was a great end of the season bowling night …

Followed by karaoke as usual afterwards.

Singer did renditions of AC/DC’s You Shook Me All Night Long and Bon Jovi’s You Give Love A Bad Name that brought down the house … she was at her singing best that night !

Hottie continued his assimilation of my karaoke playlist … Belting out The Goo Goo Dolls Slide in very nice fashion (though he does Name much, much better … I think Slide is just a hard song to do.) He also croned his great version of Brandy that had the dance floor packed as I danced my last dance (future trivia question … to what was the last song Joe Hairdy danced?)

I finished my boy karaoke kareer with versions of I Think I Love You and It’s Still Rock and Roll To Me …

Leading Hottie’s Kute Friend, Whose Not Quite As Kute as Hottie, But Just As Nice to state, “Dude, that was hilarious, all I can say is that you have balls !!”

I smirked and Hottie noted in response, “That’s probably the funniest thing said all night, and you have absolutely no clue why !!” LOL

And he didn’t. 🙂

Sister and Miss Daisy stayed much later than normal,

And it was great being able to hang out with them …

But eventually they had to call it a night.

Hug to Sister …

See ya to Miss Daisy.

Then Singer had to leave …

After a hug goodbye.

Hottie and I were left,

And after checking on me,

Making sure I was okay …

While finishing our beers,

Hottie and I called it a season,

Ending it with a handshake in the parking lot as we walked to our cars.

And that was that.

Six years of my life …

Brought to a close.

I’ll never see these people again as Joe.

These amazing people who have been so good to me …

Singer, Hottie, Sister and Miss Daisy.

I’d be a liar if I said it didn’t totally weird me out.

I’m going to miss being Joe with these people …

I’ll miss hitting fists with Hottie after one of us does something borderline athletic or says something funny …

I’ll miss deviously plotting pranks with Sister …

I’ll miss smirking with Miss Daisy as he tells me something that you don’t want to hear, but you want to hear because it’s so phreaking phunny …

I’ll miss the competition Singer and I with one another in practically everything we do …

I’ll miss them not because I’m necessarily going anywhere,

But because those are things Joe did with these people.

And despite the fact that these people know me better than anyone,

They really don’t know me that well …

Because the history they had with Joe,

Doesn’t totally translate into a history with me.

Oh sure, I know them and their history,

But I really don’t know how they interact with Amy that well.

And they sure don’t know how they interact with Amy that well.

How will they know when they say something, that I’ll take it in the right way?

How do I know when I say something, that they’ll take it in the right way?

That’s something that only comes from history …

Experience in interacting and communicating with one another.

We all had that when I was playing Joe.

Heck, we really didn’t even had to talk half the time …

We could just see on each of our faces which one of us was happy, sad, scared, pissed, tired, angry, drunk, confused, stoned, disinterested, someplace else … whatever.

That comfortability and familiarity with one another that made being together so …

Easy,

Is going to be somewhat off for a while,

As they get to know me,

And I get to know me being around them even more.

History has rewarded us with memories with which to recollect and laugh about our common pasts …

And these memories will allow us to get comfortable with one another again at an accelerated rate I’m sure …

As after all is said and done,

I’m still me,

Only … different.

But that doesn’t change what kept playing over and over again in my mind as I made my run for the border after leaving the bowling alley …

Joe will never see Miss Daisy again.

Joe will never see Sister again.

Joe will never see Hottie again.

Joe will never see Singer again.

Joe will never see any of these people again.