Chet

Chet has been my friend since 1994. Eleven years ago I was beginning a two year turn as a waiter at Planet Hollywood, Chicago. Chet and I started working for Arnold, Bruce and Sly the same week. I remember we were in the same training class of about fifteen waiters-to-be. I was not just a little bit overwhelmed by how immersed I was in gayness. And, this is coming from someone who grew up in theater. But, these waiters took being gay out of the minors and into the majors.

I immediately bonded with Chet. He, like me, attended Indiana University in the Radio and Television Department. And, he was a tech geek like myself. We talked about cameras and video equipment while the fruity waiters discussed sorbet and Cher.

However, Chet's level of knowledge and attention to all things audio and video go well far and above the term "enthusiast." Chet is part Rainman, part Forrest Gump and part Winchester.
The man, who at the time was well into his thirties, would go on for an hour on the difference between a Sony speaker and a Toshiba speaker. Don't be mislead by my description of Chet, his social skills may border on "oblivious" but his intellect and ability to recall information is computer-like.

Despite my inability to get a word in edgewise (especially if Chet was on one of his miniseries-lenghted tirades on the infinite talent of Elton John) I really got a kickout of him. In atuality, conversations with him were good for my ADD. I didn't have to pay great attention to Chet because he would stay on the same topic for so long. With normal people, I'm not allowed the pleasure of "driftin off" on my little imagination spurts.

In fact, he's on the phone right now. In the time that I've started typing he's covered the new tweeter he bought and already had to have repaired for about thirty minutes with a brief segue into the glory of Monster Cable and now we're onto something about issues between his brothers. I think another one just outed himself.

Oh yeah. Chey is gay. But like the straightest gay man you ever met. That's why I didn't really bring it up. However, right now he's describing his new tattoo. It's a rubber fetish dude in full fetish wear and it spans his shoulder.

Well, I'm going to try to reel him in. Later.