My Beautiful Bouncer

The second night Amy and I were down in the Quarter at the end of April, I met someone. Not one of the countless strangers and tourists I've met thus far; I met a LOCAL.

This local was the bouncer at one of the bars Ames and I checked out before we settled in again at the Famous Door (I wanna say it was the B Street Club, but honestly, they all run together after awhile). As Amy and I were walking by that fateful night, he asked us if we wanted to go up to the balcony. A innocent enough question and since Amy had never done the balcony thing, I said sure! We walked through the bar, up the staircase to the second floor and out onto the balcony. Amy and I tossed beads at folks and I showed her what I learned during Mardi Gras (which did NOT include raising your shirt!)......we had a good time.

When throwing beads got boring, we opted to leave. While she was using the bathroom upstairs, the bouncer came back up. I engaged him in some conversation, found out that he is active duty Coast Guard, originally from Florida, and he lives right down the street from my apartment. Amy came back out around that time, and we left.

Amy's visit ended the next day, but all the while, I couldn't stop thinking about the guy I met when she was here. Anyone who knows me can tell you that I'm nothing if not incredibly direct-I always go after what I want and I usually don't make any apologies along the way. After one weekend of rest, I decided that I was gonna go BACK down to the Quarter, find this bouncer, and get to know him a little more-CARPE DIEM!

That Saturday in May, after catching a cab to the Quarter, I walked into the bar, a little disappointed that I didn't see the bouncer at the door. I proceeded straight around the musician and up the stairs to the second floor. Much to my surprise, the bouncer was sitting at the bar on the top floor, having a drink! I ordered a drink, made some eye contact and smiled, and walked out to the balcony to people watch. After awhile, I came back in and sat down and struck up a conversation. He remembered me as soon as we started talking.

His name is Casey. He lives around the corner from me on Felicity, w/his cousin and his cousin's boyfriend (who also works at the bar). His parents, like so many, are divorced and he has a younger sister in college in North Carolina-she plays volleyball, I think. Casey is in the Coast Guard, looks dashing in his uniform (God Bless the man who invented camera and internet phones), and was a swimmer in school (which has now caused shoulder problems for him). He loves monkeys and motorcycles and owns a "rice burner" (don't ask me what that expression means, and if it's offensive in any capacity to anyone who might be reading this, you have my sincere apologies).

Aside from all the fascinating things I learned about Casey, his life, and how he got to this point, you must know he is, by far and away, the prettiest guy I have ever seen up close! I'm not using "pretty" to imply effeminate; Casey was, and is, stunning. At 6'4" 260lbs (I think....maybe it was 240-can't remember), the man is huge! He has hair that's such a dark chestnut, it's almost black, with eyes the color of the ocean sky after a storm-before the front moves through. He has insanely long, dark lashes, oh, and he's 23.....

Casey wasn't working that Saturday night I went back up to the bar solo-he just happened to be hanging out. While my interlude with him was relatively brief in relation to this vast spectrum that we call life, I continue to look back fondly upon the time I spent with Casey. I honestly believe you learn something from every person who's path you cross in life; what you do with that lesson is up to you. From Casey, I learned that I deserve something exciting and thrilling and beautiful in this world that makes me smile. I continue to carry that lesson with me to this day, and I know it will remain with me always.