New Years Day

I survived new years eve in tux…. something – on the lake. I welcome the sun this morning, as I climb onto the peer, looking for discarded plastic bags to pick up garbage with the revelers left last night.

There are tourists here, but not estadounidense, I don’t think. As I walk along the peer, another womon approaches and we greet each other buenas dias.

A man about her age follows her picking up cans only. I don’t want him to think I’m trying to capitalize on the can deposit so I wait to fill a plastic bag.

The womon I passed turns around and asks me if I want to walk with her. Chaiyo, I think her name is. She walks every morning.

I decide to come directly out to Chaiyo. She has told me she has 10 children, many grandchildren, is 69 years old, and has lived here her whole life.

She wants to know about my husband and children. I tell her, no husband, one child, one husband 40 years ago, but not now.

She wants to know why, why no husband. First I tell her libertad, but then I decide to tell her the whole truth. I love womyn, I am a lesbian.

She blushes but doesn’t run away. She doesn’t ask me if I have a lover. Maybe she doesn’t know how to ask. Especially with my limited Spanish.

We talk about the partiers last nite and I assure her no one bothered me. I slept mostly. She asks me if I want to walk with her in the morning. I take that as a sign she’s okay I’m a lesbian or she doesn’t understand – but she still wants to walk together in the morning.

I didn’t ask her where the other lesbians live around here. Next time