This weekend I bought my wife an iPod. Not because I'm romantic. Not because I'm a nice guy. There was no special day we're celebrating that called for a gift. I did it because after 15 years, I just need my own "stuff!" That's what I told her anyway.

Shari would find my real reason hysterical. I simply won't tell her because I don't want her to judge me. She would laugh and then proceed to call me an idiot for my reasoning. We have shared an iPod since their inception. We both like a lot of the same music, so there's never really been an issue. That is until she went back to her Disco roots. She's really too young to be into that scene. I think it reminds her of her early teens and the vision of the dirty girl she really wanted to be. You gotta love a woman with goals.

We were gone last weekend for a little trip to Austin. I woke up early and drug my ass to the hotel gym. It's a small gym, but they try to make the most of it by having every wall mirrored. Right when I walk in, I can see the reflection of one dude. It actually looked like fifty dudes, but after further review, just one dude. An interesting looking dude at that. He was kind of short, very fit and his workout shorts were way too small and he seemed all too happy to have another man in the gym. If you still don't get it, he was flaming. No big deal. It was just something I noticed.

When I workout I like to put the iPod in "Shuffle Songs" mode. I find that it keeps be from getting bored. So I cranked up the volume and got busy. Every once in a while I can see the guy looking at me. Not in a dirty way. I think the guy just wanted to talk or at least acknowledge that we're two dudes in a small mirrored room. Make that two sweaty dudes ... in a small mirrored room. So I cranked up the volume as loud as it could go, focusing even more on my workout. Just then the gentleman made his move. The move of friendship. He nodded a couple of times then decided to make verbal contact. When he spoke, I had to take the earbuds out to hear his pleasantries. My song (AC/DC's Sin City) was just coming to an end and it was so loud that the guys eyes looked directly at the headphones. "Nice gym." Was all he could say before my next song kicked in. I said "It's kind of small. But it will do." just as my wife's playlist kicked in ... the Village People's Y.M.C.A. I tried to grab the earbuds with one hand as fast as I could. I held them so tight that fully expected a diamond to be in the palm of my hand by the time I let go. It was too late. He heard the song. However, the dude was really cool. My reaction to the song alone told him of my sexual preference. He could have made me feel more uncomfortable or taken offense, but he didn't. He was simply a classy, cool guy.

Later that night as Shari and I were in the bar waiting for our table, I noticed he and his partner doing the same. I sent over a couple of drinks to the guys.  Shari asked "Who is that?" I replied, "That's Steve.  I worked out with him today."