What Pegman Saw: See The World

 

See The World

 

 

 

 

 

Good Evening Baltimore

 

It was all a new world to me. A poor receptionist from Dublin seeing the bleedin’ world. Instead of looking at the globe on me bleedin’ desk all the time hoping and wishing to be transported into adventure. The reason I was here in Baltimore tonight was to see my partner’s drag queen show. He was this mainstream sensation known in interviews for speaking about being agender one moment and the next about contouring. And I didn’t even love him but there was perks to being his trophy boyfriend. Like standing here at Baltimore Harbor with a tin of Carling in hand taken a selfie that would surely make my mates back in Dublin cry with jealousy and hoping the cops wouldn’t arrest me for drinking in the street.
Before the show ends, I make my way back into the gay bar where it’s taking place. Like I’d never left.

For the prompt:

https://whatpegmansaw.com/2018/07/14/baltimore-maryland/

 

 

 

 

Meet The Munchkins

 

Me and me partner Blake were out walking in Melbourne. Jesus Christ, Melbourne y’all, I know right? He was waffling on about gigs or other while I pretended to listen with nods and smiles. I was becoming a perfectionist at that. Suddenly this group of teenagers rush over.

“Are you Audrey de Havilland?”, one excited munchkin asks.

Once Blake smiles and says he is, I’m ready to step to the side of stage like an understudy in Hamlet or some shit when another excited munchkin asks,

“Are you her boyfriend? I think I seen you online together. So cute.”

Now, I really think the kid needs to get out more. But I’m a secretary, who am I to judge? Half my day at work is spent on the net wondering which celebrity is with who. So instead I smile and say I am. What ensues is a round of selfies and short video clips being recorded of one of drag’s sensations and well, her bloke.

 

When the excited horde have left, Blake kisses me.

“That was nice.”, he says.

 

For the prompt:

https://whatpegmansaw.com/2018/07/21/melbourne-australia/

 

 

 

Sea of Blue

 

Kinshasa has a massive river the Congo River. Easy enough to remember with it being in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I love the whole sea of blue. Very picturesque. Blake is currently rehearsing for a show here later tonight and I’m sightseeing baby on the presence I’m here supporting my partner.

 

I take in the sights and then some late breakfast down by a big fountain where there’s comfy seating area. I don’t know much about the country except that there is a huge problem with Ebola and someone was banned from running for president recently. Blake could tell you more. Excuse the pun but he’s a fountain of knowledge on well, almost everything and while my mates back in Dublin rag me that I’m dating an intellectual, it’s secretly one of the things I like the most about him. In truth I’m getting quite fond of him.

 

For the prompt:

https://whatpegmansaw.com/2018/07/28/kinshasa-democratic-republic-of-the-congo/

 

 

 

Resting at Rawson

 

So as I said, I’m getting fond of Blake. Which is worrying. Not because there’s anything wrong with him but because that wasn’t the plan. The plan was to enjoy meself then move on. We’re currently in Canada having a bit to eat by Rawson Lake. It’s beautiful and um, romantic. Technically we’re here for a Pride event that Blake is taking part in at the weekend but today’s Thursday and I have all his attention. Lately I’m not minding that so much.

“So how did you get into drag? Halloween?”, I ask, munching a sandwich.

“It’s quite a common way to, ain’t it? But for me, it was theatre. I started dressing as the female characters for YouTube sketches and then I realised, well you know I’m quite good at this. Yourself with the secretary stuff?”

“Did a scheme first. Was unemployed. Got stuck in it for eight years.”

 

For the prompt:

https://whatpegmansaw.com/2018/08/04/rawson-lake-canada/

 

 

 

Blogging

 

“For eight years now? So you wanted to do something else?”, Blake asked as we got fixed up in our hotel in Motevida, Uruguay.
“Babe, I was unemployed for four years. There was no options.”

“That’s not what I asked.”, he smiled.

“Well I know it isn’t but …”

“So what did you want to be?”

“Well um, I wanted to be a writer but I was, well, too thick.”

“Who the fuck told you that?”

“Well no one but … I suppose I told me that. I blog and stuff but …”

“What’s your blog?”

Oh god.

I give him the address with trepidation.

“Well let’s go out and make a post Fionn.”

Babe, you want to put your name to this? Ok.

We arrived down at Ciudad Vieja. Gathered a few snaps and some videos on Blake’s phone. I really should have fixed my hair. I uploaded the post wondering why.

 

For the prompt:

https://whatpegmansaw.com/2018/08/11/montevideo-uruguay/

 

 

 

 

Ghost Town

 

Pripyat, Ukraine was eerie. Blake and I headed around the town, or what we could of it with the radiation. I had me phone out for the blog feeling very surreal about what I was witnessing. There was something kind of sacred about it. I wasn’t sure if I should be filming it, you know.

 

I was imagining Dublin deserted like this or jeez even all of Ireland. Whoa. Imagine the Spire all deserted. I put a snap up on my Twitter teasing my upcoming blog post and within a few minutes I seen one of my mates Cian tweet,

Any ghosts around man?

I tweeted back,

Still looking mate!

Blake was on the phone to his mate and fellow queen Jake who lived in Resolute in Canada. They were arranging to meet soon so at least my next holiday wasn’t to a ghost town. Jake’s make-up though, same difference.

 

For the prompt:

https://whatpegmansaw.com/2018/08/18/832/

 

 

 

Coffee With Jake

 

“You doing the Michigan gig?”, Jake, a.ka. Katie Mossy, asked Blake as we sat in his flat having coffee.

“Of course. Bit of coin, yeah.”

“So am I. The promoter’s not a douchebag like some.”

I was put a bit at unease when he looked at me when he said that.

I got my answer to the questions swirling in my head when Blake popped out for extra coffee.

“You still fucking with his heart I see?”, Jake said.

I feigned innocence.

“You deliberately got in with him in Dublin. I’ve seen your sort before. Always after the golden ticket.”

“I love him.”

He rolled his eyes.

“He’s a good person. Worked for everything he has. Don’t play on his feelings of loneliness.”

“I’m not.”, I replied.

Inside I was feeling like shit. It was true. That’s how I had seen Blake. Did the fact I no longer did matter?

 

For the prompt:

https://whatpegmansaw.com/2018/08/25/resolute/

 

 

 

 

Michigan Realisation

 

Me and Blake were getting ready at the Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan. I always found he did a remarkable job transforming into Audrey. Seeing as I was more interested in what he had to say lately I knew his alter ego’s name came from his love of classic Hollywood actresses especially Audrey Hepburn and Olivia de Havilland.

 

We headed down to a nearby gay bar for the gig. Very fun but lately I was feeling more and more guilty. Jake’s words had hit deep at my conscience which I was trying to ignore. I loved Blake but I had lied and used him for my own gain and it was eating away at me inside.

 

I left the gig early, arrived back at the hotel, reluctantly picked up a pen and some hotel paper. I came clean about everything, packed, made sure I was gone before he got back.

 

For the prompt:

https://whatpegmansaw.com/2018/09/01/grand-hotel-mackinac-island-michigan/

 

 

 

 

Text Message

 

I was in work in Dublin. My mobile beeped. I picked it up, read the text from Blake,

In Hanoi, Vietnam. Pissed with u u bastard. All the same, seeing people in twos going by on bikes and missing u. Shouldn’t b saying this but if u still want 2 make this work, when can u get here? X

It had been three weeks since I had seen Blake. I missed him like crazy but I assumed I’d never see him again.

 

Work couldn’t end quick enough. That night I was there.

“I’m sorry.”, I said.

“You should be.”, he simply replied, shrugged and gave me a kiss.

 

The next day we were riding around on a bike through the city. I met Blake through a need for a better life. I hadn’t realised that better life wasn’t the travel or the finer things, it was simply being with him.

 

For the prompt:

https://whatpegmansaw.com/2018/09/08/hanoi-vietnam/