Nevers and Maybes

By Donna

"What do they have that we don't!" Angel exclaimed, ready to climb on the bar, "We're hot, we're awesome, and we can hold our liquor!"

Mimi pulled her down. "You sure as hell can't hold your liquor. And need I remind you; we have AIDS."

Angel rolled her eyes. People stared for a second, but quickly brushed it off. AIDS was nothing to be surprised about anymore. Especially in the Village.

"So!" Angel yelled, "You don't need sex to have a good time!"

Mimi shook her head. "You're crazy."

"No I'm not," Angel said, pointing her glass at Mimi. "I'm just saying..."

Angel stretched. "So... I met this guy today."

"You did?"

"Yeah. He was good looking. His name was... uhm... something-or-other. He gave me that look while I was drumming, you know that 'I want to get in your pants' look." She displayed it flawlessly. Mimi giggled. "Yeah? And?"

"So I waved and he gave me a dollar. And I was all, 'Thanks, honey' and he was all, 'No problem... hee hee...'"

"He totally didn't say 'hee hee!'"

"He's gay, Mimi. He's allowed to. Anyway, I was all, 'What?' and he said, 'Nothing. You're banging those drums pretty hard. You bang your boys like that, too?'"

Mimi cracked up, ready to spill her drink. "Oh my God! Oh my God! You're kidding! That sounds like it came out of a porno!"

"Shut up! Anyway, I said, 'Depends. I don't do the whole fuck-and-run thing anymore' and he asked, 'Why?' and I told him, 'I got AIDS.'"

"So then what?"

"Then he sorta gave me a, 'Holy shit! No way!' look and he backed away. Which is really weird. Because don't all gay men realize that some other men have AIDS? Come on. Anyway, I said, 'What? I do date, though' and guess what he said?"

"What?"

"He said, 'With you? Never.'"

Mimi gasped. "Oh my God! You poor thing!" She hugged her friend tightly. "My poor Angel! That's horrible!"

Angel nodded. "I know. I know. It was. Never. What a jerk."

Mimi pulled a lock of hair back. "I met someone, too."

"You did?" Angel asked, "Tell me."

"Okay. Well... he was kinda tall... blonde... and he was watching me dance... and afterwards he walked up to me. And he said, 'You're really good. I like it.' I said, 'thanks' and walked away."

"Then what?"

"Then I said, 'Hey, you know, my shift is over. Wanna go do something?' and then... the girlfriend comes in."

"Oh... zing!"

"Yeah. She's all, 'Hey, baby, come on!' and he goes, 'With you? Maybe. Bye!'"

"Maybes are as good as nevers," Angel sipped her drink as she spoke, "I'm sorry, baby. You'll never get him."

"I know that! Shut up!"

Angel grinned. "So now what?"

"We lay with the scars of the nevers and maybes!" Mimi gasped, stretching like a cat.

Angel looked up and realized everyone was staring at them. Then she got an idea. "Come on, Mimi! Let's celebrate!"

"Celebrate what?"

"Being too good for guys with cheesy porno lines and girlfriends!" She grabbed her hand and pulled her to the small clearing in the bar. The men watched as Angel pulled Mimi into a dance. Most of the men thought it was two lesbians and were enthraled by their sporadic dancing and cheerings of, "We're single! We're single!" Angel even kissed Mimi playfully, leaving the men swooning.

"And now, all the scars of the nevers and maybes die!" Mimi squealed.

"Yeah! You got it!" Angel agreed, fanning her skirt. She began to scream random Spanish obscenities. "Come on, Mimi! Let's go to that danceclub! You can be my boyfriend!"

"Yay!" Mimi cheered. They paid for their drinks and left, ready to celebrate being friends and being so fabulous that no one could touch them.

END