I have this tape I made years ago with all the female singers on it that I was into at the time. The first song I wanted to hear was None of Yo' Business by Salt n' Pepa. I figured it would fit the terrain, considering all the busy gay bars I would likely pass on my way to the late night convenient store on Bourbon. Considering that at this hour, cars trying to cross Bourbon Street through a sea of people's legs makes it far from convenient, it was still open, so that always counts for something when you really want a beer and you don't want to step into a bar, as I seldom do.

I found a parking spot that would not get me towed in the five minutes I would be away from my car and stepped into the florescent ugliness of Compac, one of several places throughout the city where they offer you a brown paper bag with your purchases and call you hon'. On the way home, I listened to Concrete Blonde's version of Everybody Knows. At any hour in the Quarter, you are a third class citizen, second to taxi cabs or police cars and then pedestrians, who likely, aren't going to be savvy on their feet or aware of the boundaries of sidewalks, so you really need to be sober when you attempt what I did tonight. I manage to pick the worst night, but being a local, or being made one by circumstance, I learn to get where I need to in record time.

Bourbon is really the only hectic street in the Quarter, and it will remain so until at least 5 in the morning on Sunday, where the true alcoholics are in their prime for a moment of clarity, though few will be given or received. Already, at after midnight, Bourbon is wet with the outpourings of its essence, of diluted frozen drinks oozing from plastic cups and people's feet shod in poorly chosen sandals mucking it into a sickening froth that the street sweepers will loudly brush away as dawn approaches.

Even if distasteful, at least there is some consistency, something you can count on. That, even in the confines of my home, Bourbon is taking care of our needs as we provide them. The exchange is always complete.

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