Entourage

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This past weekend I bumped into a celebrity.

I was itching to flirt and let my very short hair down, so I hit up my boy Philly Bred and asked whether he wanted to go out for the evening.  He was game, and suggested going to The Generator.  I was happy.  The Generator is my favorite black gay club in Chicago.  It has two levels and lots of booths and places to sit down and relax, chill, talk, and vibe.

We got there early.  And we sat down in a booth and chatted and laughed about obnoxious things.  We bitched about the smoke in the club, and prayed for the summer of 2008 to arrive so that Chicago's smoking ban would finally be instituted fully.

After a few hours of talking, I decided to take a stab at things alone.  Philly had met up with a friend and they seemed to be getting a little close, and I am not one to be a third wheel.  I looked up and I saw the back of a head that looked extremely familiar.

It was Darryl Stephens, the actor who plays the lead character Noah of Noah's Arc.  I knew it the instant I saw his head and the tight black leather cap pulled down around his head so that the bill obstructed the view of his face.

I was in the room with an A list black gay celebrity.  I was a bit tickled.  He looked a bit out of place.  You could look at him and tell that he wasn't from Chicago.  His attire.  The way he moved.  He didn't stand out amongst the crowds of people, but he didn't blend in either.  It was like he was almost invisible.

Part of the reason that you couldn't really see him was because he was surrounded by his entourage.  A posse of about four or five friends who looked oh so la la Los Angeles.  They were the perfect LA group.  There was a white boy, a very dark chocolate muscled black guy, another black guy who looked ambiguously latino, and another black guy.  They traveled in a pack the whole night, except for a few visits to the bar.

It seems that Darryl was visiting The Generator because the next night, Sunday, he was celebrating his birthday at the club.  They passed out fliers as I left.  The closest I got to him was when he slightly bumped into me on his way to the bar.

But the idea of his entourage stuck with me.  I didn't speak to Darryl, partially because I had nothing to really say to him, but also because he had his entourage.  And the entourage can be pretty darn intimidating.

There were a few other guys that I wanted to talk to that night--but like Darryl, they too had entourages.  While I have gotten over my fear of initiating conversation with a guy, I must admit that I am still a bit intimidated to walk up to a group and single one guy out to talk with.  You never know if the guy is alone, or what.

So it made me wonder,

Why do guys bring their entourages with them when they go to the club?

I've heard guys say they go to the clubs with their friends so that they won't be alone.  But many of these guys simultaneously complain about how they find it hard to meet guys in clubs.  Could it be that we handicap ourselves by bringing our friends for support, but end up missing out because someone mistakes us for being with our friends?

That evening there was a short little thick brother who was with his three man entourage.  I thought he was attractive, but I wasn't going to make a move on him while he stood in his pack of wolves.  To his credit, he eventually stepped out and asked me if I was with someone.  I told him no.

We started dancing.

The dancing was awkward at first.  It always is until I get comfortable.  First off, he was about 5 inches shorter than me, so me bending and squatting to reach his torso level was fucking up my arthritic thirty year old knees.

But eventually they started playin some hot ass songs with some def asscarribean beats, like Rihanna's, Mister DJ" ", and R. Kelly's "Bounce, Bounce" featuring Elephant Man.  That got me to turn him around and I was on his ass grinding like a mortar and pestle churning some salt.

What's that poking me?  he said. My dick, I told him.

He covered his mouth, pretending to be shocked by my bluntness.  You knew what it was, I said, You're throwing that big ass on me like that, of course my dick is going to get hard.  You liked it didn't you?

He blushed and continued to wax coquettish and said, I didn't know, it could have been your wallet.

We kept dancing, and when my boy Q-Tip started singing "Vivrant Thing" I was so excited and my body was flowing so well to the beat that I felt invincible.

I can't believe we were dancing so nasty, he said.  That wasn't nothing, I said. 

He and I had hooked up before.  He didn't remember me.  He came over to my place last year telling me he was horny.  But when he stepped in the door he got scared.  Like he didn't know what to do.  He was scared of sex.

He told me, I'm a good boy.  But I definitely would like to get to know you.

He was one of those Janet Jackson, "Let's Wait Awhile" boys.  Which is fine if you are considering someone to be your husband--but for me, I am all about some physical intimacy to accompany the long stares and sweet nothings.

He gave me his number and made me promise to call him.  And then he retuned to his entourage.

He did the right thing.  If you're gonna come with an entourage, break away from your possee throughout the night and occassionally show that you are on the market.

Everybody wants someone who can stand on their own two once in a while.

Comments

[Captain]

Yeah, I heard he was at the Generator. My friend was there, bumped into him, and didn't know it was him! Sorry to disappoint you, but the smoking ban will have nothing to do with the clubs.

[Liquid Fonts]

What is it with gay men and social awkardness? It's a damn shame that gay men have adopted the female social code that states that one should never go out alone or appear to be alone at a club or social event. I think it's mainly based in fear of rejection and inferiority, I would recommend that anyone who's gay and fears stepping out to the clubs all alone, should do just that, with an emphasis on participation and avoiding wallpaper status. It will help burst that bubble of pretense that surrounds some of us when avec-entourage and make you more approachable even when your posse is present. In fact I would go as far as to suggest that Chicago gay clubs establish a singles night where no huddles or circles are allowed to enter or linger...only single gay men who because they've left their audiences at home are left to their own devices to create the "fun"....WIP

[E]

I went to Spin solo a couple weeks ago...and didn't really enjoy it. It's cool having at least one other person with you. But you're right...you have to occasionally branch out so guys know you're available.

[L'il Viscious]

I'm lost - you're header said you bumped into a celebrity, but your post only mentioned Darryl Stephens. Who/Where was the celebrity? ;-)

[Quentin Ergane]

I am a Libra... I PREFER to go out with an entourage -- for a variety of reasons:

1) I don't have time to deal with shallow-assed gay folks. When I go out, I want to have fun. I want to smile and spread cheer and ignore those people who have nothing other than shade. However, when I go with my friends, I have an easier time not thinking about how fucked up I find gay culture and just enjoy myself.

and 2) although I can have sex with people outside of my relationship, I am really not trying to lead anyone on...

Which reminds me... B, I'd like to talk to you about something...

[sunny]

I hate going to clubs solo... I never have fun. Granted, I do wander solo, and I stand off to the sides of my friends frequently, but being solo in a club seems so lonely to me.

[Linear Jones]

Bernard, your evening reads like the lyrics to a Destiny's Child song. I love it. And why do you not like approaching the group? Is it picking a favorite or knowing that they are all judging you up and down within nanoseconds? In the past, I consider a group an invitation to divide and conquer.