Report From The Pride Festival

Mr. Bluejeans Sr. suggested meeting at the Pride Festival yesterday. There was a motivation--Most Holy Redeemer, the Castro parish church, had a booth selling 'beverages' to raise money for their AIDS support group. Mr. Bluejeans Sr. likes parish churches, opportunities to give to worthy causes, and beverages, so this one seemed tailor made for him. Also, the Pride Festival sprawls across Civic Center Plaza, and is near Max's Opera Cafe, so as far as Mr. Bluejeans was concerned, we were set to go.

Highlights of the day:

Most Holy Redeemer was indeed selling beverages, but it was all beer, not Mr. Bluejeans' cup of tea, which is white wine. We bought some beer anyway, for the sake of the mitzvah. MHR was asked by the Archdiocese not to march in the parade this year, which sucks, but they seemed in pretty good spirits anyway.

We found ourselves at the California Sperm Bank booth for a while, while Mr. Bluejeans made inquiries for some friends from out of the country. (Mr. Bluejeans as usual, hit Pride with a list of chesed projects to work on and inquiries to make at various booths). I ended up in conversation with the other pleasant middle-aged lady at the booth.

"Did you say you already had a donor?" she yelled over the brass band behind us.

"Yes."

"That's nice! Is he storing sperm for you?"

"No, we're married."

That took a moment, logistically, she paused to consider what I meant, and then it clicked in her head. "That's great," she shouted back cheerfully, "because that way you can get it fresh."

I bought a couple of t-shirts, listened to the Chipman Middle School drum band from Alameda do their routines--JROTC, currently under fire in San Francisco should have turned out--admired kids and dogs, and generally had a good time. Then we went back to Max's, where I had a tuna melt, and life was good.

Pride always makes me well up with joy to be a San Franciscan. This year, across from City Hall, where couples have been marrying for more than a week now, it was really special. The mood at the event was mixed--a lot of groups are worrying about November, and not yet taking the new wedding season at face value--but in general, spirits were high, food was fried, rainbow leis were prominent, and everyone seemed to be having a great time.