My first thought when I chatted with him was that he was much to cool to be in Dubai. He’s an artist from Cali. He came to dubai expecting the culture of Israel and Jordan, and feels so cheated that he still toys with the idea of running back. I think it was in Gaydar that he messaged me. We did the msn thing, he disappeared for a few weeks, and then finally we were both online at the same time. Witty banter followed, numbers were exchanged, and as is usually the case when i meet someone interesting, I had a flight to catch so that was that. The following week, I messaged him when I reached Dubai, and I don’t know how, but he convinced me to join him at a beach bar q in Umm Suqeim.
So there I was standing next to the Mirage Islamic Art Center on Jumeriah road, feeling not unlike a renter waiting to be picked, conscious of the speculative gaze of passerbys at the young twenty-something standing by himself in the dark. If I had been Russian or Polish, I would have had to turn down at least 5 offers. Half unsure of why I wasn’t in bed reading nytimes, I called him up, and within minutes he pulled up in his little hatchback, filled to the brim with clothes, hangers and shoes.
