i had dinner about two weeks back with the boyfriend and his two art school friends, Nic and Gen at our favorite sandwich restaurant, Subway. so there we were happily munching on our dinner and enjoying that fact that there's only 6 grams of fat and a 'healthier choice' symbol awarded to it. all of a sudden, the boyfriend gives a wry smile. that's always a sign of impending scandal and gossip.

'Oh my god! I have something scandalous to tell you about Darren (name changed to protect the not-so-innocent). And it's regarding you!'

this was accompanied with the flailing of his Over-Roasted Chicken Breast in Honey Oat sandwich, which resulted in the unintended descent to the ground of several julienned pieces of lettuce.

Darren, is one of the boyfriend's course mates from stewarding classes. he's very tall, not that dark, and quite the handsome thing if you like chiselled/defined features. throw in the fact that he smokes and he rides a bike, he's the ultimate bad boy. ironically, his girlfriend (i know, i know, he's straight) is only as tall as his mid-torso. but i've talked to both of them before and they are as loving as Romeo and Juliet can be without all the star-crossed crap. and i like loving couples.

but like i said, i met this chap before. it was over a Chinese New Year gathering at one of the boyfriend's course mates and all his gorgeous and good-looking air stewarding friends were there. according to the boyfriend, only he and i were the only homosexual things in that gathering. and if you asked me, it was pretty obvious given that the boyfriend brought along his 'best friend' who cooked the pasta for this particular pot-luck gathering. i was wearing a Pink Ben Sherman polo, which just added fuel to the already salmon-coloured flames.

'What about Darren? *gasp* You mean he's gay? He broke up with the girlfriend and is now trying to have sex with you? Oh, oh.... i knew it all along!! Old news, old news. Move along.'

obviously, i wouldn't be able to guess what exactly happen until it came right from the boyfriend's mouth. which is why i nearly choked on Over-Roasted chicken breast and pickle bits when i heard what the boyfriend said next:

'I came out to Darren!' (flying lettuce)

the boyfriend, if i remember correctly, once said that he would never come out to his stewarding friends for fear of rejection, disgust and the usual range of emotions that appear whenever a gay person comes out to their straight friends. except for Darren. and i think Darren is the type of person who is open to homosexuals. i mean, i've smoked a cigarette with him during that new year gathering and talked to him. and he gives me that impression lah.

'Seriously.... but i thought you wouldn't come out to any of your air stewarding people'

'Darren's special what! And besides, he's the type that's open to this sort of thing!'

just when i thought that the boyfriend coming out to his course mate was going to be the topic of the evening, the boyfriend continued peppering the environment with more scandalous gossip and lettuce bits.

'You know what else he said? He guessed that i was gay because of you! He caught you checking out some of the other air stewarding people there. Something about the way your eyes kept fixating on the guys. Somebody's been naughty ah....'

as i mentioned, the people at the gathering were a bunch of air crew, all hand-picked from interviews. obviously they were judged based on their looks, physique and general character. when a feast for the eyes is laid in front of you, you should not deny yourself the treat. all you need to do is just sit down and partake of your fair share of visual pleasure. it never did anyone any harm. hell, it has zero calories and trans-fats as well.

but i guess the way my eyes had a sparkle while talking to the male air crew at the gathering was a tad too intense. and Darren, being someone of a high EQ could pick up these minute details that most could not. i think what counts at the end of the day is that you just involve the sense of sight and sound when checking out someone. anything beyond that is crossing the line. and i swear to the boyfriend, that i am still quite far from the line.

my only retort to the boyfriend's accusation?

'you also check out other guys when we walk in the streets what!'

to which the boyfriend replied:

'that's different. they are strangers. these are my course mates okay!'

like there's a difference! being the loving boyfriend, i decided to let the other half win this one. i continued munching on the leftover veggies. at the same time, carrying out the boyfriend-ly duties of picking up random pieces of lettuce on the table.

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