I have never made a secret of my support & admiration for the openly gay Mayor of Portland- Sam Adams. Back when the Mayor was a city commissioner, I sat on a committee that he chaired- Keep Portland Moving. I always arrived early enough to insure that I would sit next to him. I understood that he would one day be the Mayor & I had designs to be the First Lady of Portland, a dream dashed when I realized that I was decades too old for his taste. But, I was never bitter. Sam Adams has always had my support, even if he ended up not supporting me in the style that I fantasized about: going shopping in foreign cities while Mr. Mayor was speaking at conferences, cutting ribbons & christening ships, standing beside him at press conferences, fashion spreads in details.
It is a bit of thrill when the Mayor of Portland calls me by name. Yesterday, I was in attendance at a meeting of The Downtown Retail Council where Sam Adams gave an engaging, witty, upbeat update on the Occupy Portland situation. He got angry at a question once & I became so excited that I was unable to stand up from our table. He was strongly stern a few times, making my head spin... Yes, I was in a room with another 50 retailers & I was stuck being hard & dizzy at the same time, not at my best.
Just a few hours later, I stood with The Husband, Jake, & The Boys' Fort Artists as Mayor Sam Adams gave a speech about the holiday season in Downtown Portland & the opening of the 3 Pop-Up Shops. Standing at the door to the store, while thanking him for his words earlier in the day, I just tossed off that my Husband happened to be one of the 2 partners of Boys' Fort.
Mayor Sam Adams (looking mayoral & handsome): "Really? That is so great. May I meet him, Steve?"
Stephen: "Of course, Mr. Mayor... you know I would do anything for you." (the Mayor & Stephen walk together across the atrium, seemingly aglow, as if in a Merchant/Ivory film)
Stephen (in a cornflower blue shirt to bring out his eyes): "Mr. Mayor, this is The Husband..."
Mayor Adams (reaching for The Husband's hand & seemingly brushing up against Stephen): "So very good to meet you & congratulations on Boys' Fort. By the way, you have excellent taste in men." (the crowd goes silent as Stephen levitates)
The Husband: (dry & weary) Oh, don't I know it..."
It is a bit of thrill when the Mayor of Portland calls me by name. Yesterday, I was in attendance at a meeting of The Downtown Retail Council where Sam Adams gave an engaging, witty, upbeat update on the Occupy Portland situation. He got angry at a question once & I became so excited that I was unable to stand up from our table. He was strongly stern a few times, making my head spin... Yes, I was in a room with another 50 retailers & I was stuck being hard & dizzy at the same time, not at my best.
Just a few hours later, I stood with The Husband, Jake, & The Boys' Fort Artists as Mayor Sam Adams gave a speech about the holiday season in Downtown Portland & the opening of the 3 Pop-Up Shops. Standing at the door to the store, while thanking him for his words earlier in the day, I just tossed off that my Husband happened to be one of the 2 partners of Boys' Fort.
Mayor Sam Adams (looking mayoral & handsome): "Really? That is so great. May I meet him, Steve?"
Stephen: "Of course, Mr. Mayor... you know I would do anything for you." (the Mayor & Stephen walk together across the atrium, seemingly aglow, as if in a Merchant/Ivory film)
Stephen (in a cornflower blue shirt to bring out his eyes): "Mr. Mayor, this is The Husband..."
Mayor Adams (reaching for The Husband's hand & seemingly brushing up against Stephen): "So very good to meet you & congratulations on Boys' Fort. By the way, you have excellent taste in men." (the crowd goes silent as Stephen levitates)
The Husband: (dry & weary) Oh, don't I know it..."
Portland is all about Bikes & here is a nice shot of The Husband, The Mayor & Stephen getting ready to ride.
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