| run into an old friend, Shawn, who introduces me to
his friend. | have since forgotten his friend's name,
but anyway - his friend painfully attempts to flirt with
me. He asked what | did for a living and | replied that
| am a teacher. He laughed and said, snapping his fin-
gers in the air, "Oh my god, | could just see you trying
to discipline them...'stand back- Sister's not gonna
take no more!'" | laughed, but wondered why he
would refer to me as a female, since that is how oth-
ers would insult me. It dawned on me that this use of
language and humour was intended to humble each
other and provide a comfort zone. When we are put
down and called these words, we remember the sup-
port and humour between us, and that life is short
and painful if you don't laugh and smile at the stupid
things, like words.

All this dawned on me as ‘the friend’ was busy flirting
and chatting me up, which is probably why | can't
remember his name or anything he said. Whatever,
he didn't impress me anyway - too short. | wandered
over to have a good seat for the performance, some-
thing | look forward to each time I'm there. One of
the three girls comes out and does a comedy skit each
week, followed by numerous comical drag shows and
audience interaction games. The room is lit up with
smiles and warmth as the host teases the men and
women in the crowd. "Well, looky here if it isn't Ellen
Degeneres and Anne Heche" she points out to a les-
bian couple oddly resembling the celebrity former cou-
ple. "Glad to.see dykes in the crowd, I'm sick of these
fucking fags!" The room erupts with wild laughing
and cheering, we are together and safe with our
humour and company.

I run into an old friend, Shawn, who introduces me to
his friend. 1 have since forgotten his friend's name,
but anyway - his friend painfully attempts to flirt with
me. He asked what | did for a living and | replied that
1am a teacher. He laughed and said, snapping his fin-
gers in the air, "Oh my god, | could just see you trying
to discipline them...'stand back- Sister's not gonna
take no more!" | laughed, but wondered why he
would refer to me as a female, since that is how oth-
ers would insult me. It dawned on me that this use of
language and humour was intended to humble each
other and provide a comfort zone. When we are put
down and called these words, we remember the sup-
port and humour between us, and that life is short
and painful if you don't laugh and smile at the stupid
things, like words.

All this dawned on me as ‘the friend’ was busy flirting
and chatting me up, which is probably why I can't
remember his name or anything he said. Whatever,
he didn't impress me anyway - too short. 1 wandered
over to have a good seat for the performance, some-
thing | look forward to each time I'm there. One of
the three girls comes out and does a comedy skit each
week, followed by numerous comical drag shows and
audience interaction games. The room is lit up with
smiles and warmth as the host teases the men and
women in the crowd. "Well, looky here if it isn't Elen
Degeneres and Anne Heche" she points out to a les-
bian couple oddly resembling the celebrity former cou-
ple. "Glad to see dykes in the crowd, I'm sick of these
fucking fags!" The room erupts with wild laughing
and cheering, we are together and safe with our
humour and company.