Masquerade Effect

CH. 1 - "Beautiful British Columbia"

"Hey Gordie, I'm surprised to see you taking the shuttle this early in the night."

"Looks like a full house. You got any space left?"

"You're it until everyone gets off at their respective stops. Hop in!"

"Thanks Lucky! You and Larry are gonna have a hell of a time on the radio tomorrow. I almost don't want to moderate."

"Larry isn't gonna have an argument left."

"I'm not worried."

This was the only dialogue I had heard on such a late spring evening. I had been wrapping up my freshman semester at Lionsgate University. I was heading to a party in my best little black dress, cute pair of patent pumps with tights to match, and my makeup was on point. Not overstated but enough to grab a look or two. Speaking of lookers, this Gordie guy is quite a catch! Even as a lesbian, I didn't mind eye candy from the opposite sex now and again. It sounded like he was turning in whenever he was going to get dropped off by the driver, who by the sounds of it, was good friends with him.

Gordie wasn't much taller than myself - six foot one, roughly 175 pounds with short dark blond hair and a jet black goatee. If there was one thing about this campus shuttle ride, the roads were a little worn from the salted roads during the snowy Vancouver winters which meant a bumpy ride. "Hey, are we good for Tuesday in the library," I asked my friend Savannah Rollingwater, a criminal justice major.

"So far as I know," was the reply I got. We happened to have a class together even though we were different majors. We managed to be only one floor apart in our residence hall on campus. Freshmen were only required to stay on campus their first year, but could for the rest of their education if they so chose.

Back to tall and handsome though. If there was one thing about his fit body, he had bony and somewhat hairy knees. Because of the rough road and how packed the shuttle van was, our legs were bobbing into each other. But I wanted to break the ice. "Aren't you in a class with me or something," I pretended to ask knowing I had never seen him before.

"You may have been at the campus recreation center while I was on the clock, but not in class. I don't believe we've met. GW Szczeranek." I wouldn't want to spell that I thought, almost forgetting to respond, he said his name in Anglo-Polish but sounds like Seronick when anglicized.

"I'm Maddie, Maddie Sorrentino."

"Enchante, mademoiselle," he said as he kissed me on the hand. For not being straight, he was making me forget that I wasn't into guys. Perhaps I could start going bi now.

"So Gordon," before I could get going, he interrupted.

"Please, Gordie. Or Wally. Nobody really calls me GW, but I do get that time and again."

"Gordie then," I continued. "I'm sure professionally people call you Gordon."

"Or Wally, even."

"You from the area?"

"It's a hard call. Depends on how you define regions. If by that you mean Western Canada, yes, but out of province. I'm from Red Deer, Alberta. Since British Columbia is considered beyond the Canadian Prairies, you kinda gotta be specific."

"That's peculiar," I noted with half fake, half sincere intrigue.

"I noticed you're from another part of Cascadia." Very studious of him to notice.

"Hey that's pretty good," was the compliment I thought he was due.

"Would I be right in saying you're from the Seattle-Tacoma part of Washington State?"

Let me guess, "were you a geography bee champion or something in elementary school?" Little did I know.

"Matter of fact, Maddie, I was three out of four years in junior high. But even though I'm not a dialogue expert, I can pick up a lot of accents fairly well throughout my travels." I thought that was actually low-key kinda cool.

"But I hear something that isn't quite Canadian in your speech either." It wasn't obvious but to a trained ear, it was noticeable. If you spent your time in the gardens like I did as a botany student, you'd be surprised the things you'd hear.

"Well I did learn Ukrainian and Magyar at home because of family. But most people don't pick up on that Eastern European thing," Gordie announced. "When I travel to other countries, they say Canadian. When I'm say in the Maritimes or in Newfoundland or other areas in Eastern Canada, they know I'm from the Prairies. Here a lot of people just think it's some sort of foreign."

Holy Space Needle! As far as I was concerned, "that sounds like either an identity crisis or just a topic you can never escape."

"Or both," he was quick to include. I hated to cut the conversation short, but I had no choice.

"Gordie, I'm afraid this is my stop." He was very understanding, as I would expect under the circumstances.

"It was a pleasure chatting, Maddie. I look forward to the next time!" Whenever that was going to be, but I hoped it would be soon.

"For sure, we should do this again. Find me on Facebook." OMG we really are modern, what ever happened to getting someone's digits. Instagram was just becoming a thing and Snapchat wouldn't come out until my senior year.

"Let me step out so you have room to do so." So much so did he that he also offered his hand when I stepped out.

"Thanks, Gordie!"

"Of course, Maddie. Have a nice rest of your weekend!" And with that, he was gone as I had went to another friend's suite in a separate dorm - Baker Hall. Baker was appropriately nicknamed the oven because even with the recently replaced air conditioning units in it, you were comfy in the winter but the warmer months was like a sauna. You had to open the windows so you could get the breeze off the Strait of Georgia. That was the best thing about Lionsgate, we were right on the water and a stone's throw away from downtown Vancouver. I just wish I knew when I would see Prince Charming again.

CH 2 - Finer Print

I would get my chance a few weeks later. I was casually heading over to our campus union. Lo and behold, there he was sitting in one of the lounge chairs reading the morning Vancouver Sun. I didn't want to interrupt, but I hadn't stopped thinking of the attractive man I had seen earlier this month. "Hey! Gordie, right?" I knew his name, but didn't want to seem too eager. I mean, if this was going to happen in any form, I had to play hard to get, right?

"Maddie, hello there. To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?"

"I was just passing through to get breakfast when I spotted someone our age reading a newspaper."

"Well that isn't so out of the ordinary, is it," he asked.

"Well for me, it is. The people in the States don't read papers unless it's online now. And on the west coast, everyone just gets their news on social media." I had to know how this man was keeping such a routine.

"I'll be honest Maddie, I'm the only one in my family over five generations who hasn't needed glasses from an early age. Reading things on a monitor is bad for eye health and I simply like the nostalgia of being able to smell and pick up a fresh newspaper." I could respect that.

"That's cool, it just caught me off guard," I told him.

"Now Maddie, how did you know I wasn't someone older?" It was a valid question that I didn't have a reasonable answer to.

"Well..." I began, "your hands are very smooth for someone our age."

"Uh, thanks, I think," was all I got in reply.

"I meant that I noticed because when we met, it had appeared as though you use lotion for your hands," Whew, nice recovery.

"As a matter of fact," he began, "the pinky finger side of my hand got dry a lot as a kid - presumably from the way I write. It's a little better now from the lotion, but I still need to tend to it every so often."

He was apparently in the business section when he had put the newspaper down and that helped me change the subject so I didn't seem too nosy about his physical features. "Do you play the market," I prodded.

"It's a nice way to stay afloat if you know what you're doing. That's my plan to pay loans off when I finish school." I thought that was pretty ambitious, then again, I didn't know his trade.

"Are you a business major then or family business oriented?"

"Neither, actually. I'm a physical education and political science dual major," I wanted to ask him so many things but knew he needed to break in too.

"How about yourself, Maddie?"

"Well, I'm studying botany with a focus on horticulture." He raised an eyebrow as if to suggest his interest was peaked.

"Really? Quite impressive actually. You must spend a lot of time in the campus garden then." Eventually, that would be true.

"Well, not quite yet. I have been but only maybe once every other week." He seemed disappointed for a moment.

"Oh, that's too bad. I'm sure it's coming." I'd get to, but not soon enough it felt.

"One would think."

"I'd invite you to sit down, but I know you wanted to grab a bite. And breakfast is important."

"Mind if I join you or at least have you join me when you order?" Wow, he really wanted me to spend time with him.

"I'm sorry, I'll have to take a rain check with an exam I want to keep studying for, how about we meet at the Strickland Cafe next week sometime? Make it the White Rhino instead, I've been meaning to check the place out." How stupid was I... I had the chance to spend even ten minutes with him. I didn't have an exam today, but I did have a schedule to keep that I probably could've been a little late to.

"Wherever is fine. That would be great! How does Monday at 5 sound," he suggested. "Perfect, actually."

"Cool, I'll see you then." Now I had to leave through a different door after breakfast so this didn't get awkward should he still be there.

"Sounds good, Gordie." Now that I had interacted with him a little more, I was able to get a good read on him. Traditional. He appeared to have his own personality, possibly eccentric at least a little, but a decent man in the middle of all that. Probably a virgin. I mean sure he was attractive, but I felt that he had a type - just not a sexual one, rather focusing on beauty, intellect, and humor. Those types of guys are hard to come by if you're a straight woman in my experiences with my acquaintances.

Even though there were many like-minded people on this side of the continent, I was a little more reserved in how I expressed myself. As much as I was 'out of the closet' as they say, I was what one might call a 'lipstick lesbian.' I was very strong in my feminist beliefs but tried to cater to the crowd publicly. If I knew I was in the minority, I could get away with pretending to be a neutral party. But there was something else I knew about guys like Gordie. He was likely aware of the LGBT community and anti-rights (I wasn't even 50 percent sure) though the way he treated me was very chivalrous which some uber-feminists, unlike myself, view negatively.

If there is one thing that I am not feminist over, I still appreciate a nice gesture from a guy every now and again. Helping exit a vehicle like he did a few weeks ago, opening doors, pulling chairs to be seated. You know, the cutesy stuff. That's how you tell the genuine nice guys from the douchy toolbags. And so far as I knew, Gordy was a genuine nice guy. But he doesn't know about my preference. I wonder how long this can keep up.

CH 3 - The White Rhino

We decided to meet in Richmond for our 5pm 'date' at the White Rhino. From what I had heard, it was a fairly hip place but could still be coffeehouse chill instead of just being party central on weekends. As I entered, it was still pretty quiet, even for an early Monday evening. He was in one of the banquette booths along the left-side wall as you looked forward facing the back, with him reading what appeared to be a weekly edition sports special from the USA Today - his back facing me.

"Hello there. Allow me," he said as I approached the table. He proceeded to get out of his seat to offer me a hand over the raised step that you had to walk up to sit down.

"Hi Gordie," I said kinda coy so as to not give off my vibe to him. What could I do? I couldn't help it that he was even mildly attractive, let alone a stud. I bet he could have any woman he wanted and could even be a player if he put his mind to it. Yet he is single and chose to meet up with me of all people. He must have thought I was the most beautiful person he knew on campus at least, because while I may be attractive, I'm not necessarily what one would call a looker but I could certainly "fake it 'til I make it." Not like I needed "finishing" touches shall we say. I mean I would be comfortable going out without makeup, as I was now. I think he liked it that way anyway.

Gordie seemed like he had been here before until he made note of our server.

"Jeff is a good guy, while I've never been here before, the other place he's at that I moonlight at is pretty good. I only frequent a few places. I hope you found it alright."

"Yeah, it wasn't hard," I replied I had gotten to know Richmond enough that I'd been to other establishments with friends. It helped greatly that the legal drinking age is 19, which I had just turned last month. Then Jeff came to inquire about our preferences.

He was studly himself - slightly shorter than but the same build as Gordie, lighter golden-blond hair with spiked tips in front. His face looked like he used baby lotion for it. "Ladies first," Gordie suggested. I decided a medium espresso would suffice.

"I know what I'm having but I'll wait for Maddie before I order. In the mean time, how about an Orange Pekoe for me."

"Right away, Wal-ster," said Jeff half back to the bar area. At second glance of the menu while deciding desert, the tea list was extensive. But I needed to run that by him again.

"So 'Wal-ster,' huh?"

"He knows too many Gordons. Popular Canadian name, you know." I didn't think there were quite that many but I gave the standard

"I suppose that's true."

"It also, helps get me extra attention when it gets busy since I'm a regular at his other place," he mentioned.

Out of curiosity I asked, "and where might that be?" I was thinking it would be nice to get dibs on everything once in a while.

"The Chinook Run Tavern. One of the best places for uniquely local dishes." I hadn't yet had a genuine local dish, so that was something I had to look forward to.

Jeff came back as ready as ever in anticipation of my selection for the evening. "For you, Miss," he asked politely.

"Just a slice of your tiramisu would be fine." I ended up finding out a little about the Chinook Run menu before I even had a chance to look.

"And Wally, what do you think will outdo the CRT key lime?" Gordie let out a sigh,

"Gee, I thought the La Mestin Capilano would be decent." As if he chose almost instantaneously.

"I'll put those right in for you both." I was eying that dessert... a crepe garnished with lemon curd, an orange peel and several slices of kiwi.

"Now that, Gordie, I'll have to try - but some other time. I'm guessing the name is First Nations?"

"The Capilano area gets its name from the Squamish nation meaning beautiful river and la mestin is the Chinook word for money. Why the dish is called money, I don't know though I have ideas." In the five or so minutes that passed, I found out he was actually very funny, although by the attitude he had toward it I don't think he was trying to be, but then he said something as if he were laughing at himself. That's important in life. Being serious when necessary, but being able to poke fun at your own shortcomings.

"Did you really pay attention to that," I had to ask out of bewilderment.

"No, I just randomly noticed and to this day it stands to be true. It's just luck, I guess that it has kept on like that." Never have I ever seen or heard about someone getting up on their luck on something so insignificant, but brag-worthy if he were that type of person.

"One tiramisu, one Capilano. Anything else for you" Jeff prodded as he came with the dishes.

"No we're all set at the moment, I think," seeing that Gordie still had half a pot of tea water left. In that forty-five minutes we spent chatting, I started getting mixed feelings about my standing with him, I really was growing emotionally attached to him. He was making it sooo much harder not to fall in love with him. I don't even think he was trying. Then again, I wasn't really resisting either.

After Jeff came with the bill, I wanted to go Dutch, but Gordie insisted "your first time with me in my country." Boy was he a big tipper, I dunno if it was Jeff or if he just tips that much. I had another brain cramp moment.

"I really enjoyed that, Gordie." I really just admitted it without him prompting, he was working magic on me without even having to lay a finger on me.

"I'm glad Maddie. I'd like to do this again sometime. Would you like a ride back to campus?" I took him upon the offer and the twenty minute ride in his beautiful navy blue 2010 Chevy Equinox was just filled with more laughs along the way. It rode great for a two year old car with 46,838 kilometers on it.

"Thanks for bringing me back," I offered as I exited the car.

"See you soon, eh Maddie?"

"Yeah, let's."

CH 4 - Bustling to Burnaby

Over the course of the rest of the semester, we would keep running into each other at various places across campus. Once, he even invited me for a nice walk around Stanley Park just outside the downtown core. I'm sure he got a thrill out of being with a young lady alone for not having done so very often if at all. But he didn't make a move. I mean I would've had to break the news then, but I was hoping that was an 'in case of emergency' discussion, which I (thankfully) could return to my back pocket. The sexual tension between us was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. And neither of us had really made a move yet.

Perhaps it was nerves, or inexperience, or both, or something else. Maybe he knew I was into girls. Maybe, he wasn't ready. Whatever the reason, I could take a sigh of relief. We were starting to grow close, just not romantically. Just before we broke for summer recess, he found me on my social media, not all at once. We chatted a few times over the summer by way of chat messages but nothing to heavy. Sometimes even only a simple 'hey, don't fall out of touch' here and there. What's more is that he was going to be a senior.

The day before the first set of classes were to begin, the rest of the student body had pretty much moved back in. I was frolicking in the quad with some of my friends. Though I was on campus at that moment, I rented an apartment off campus in Richmond about a ten minute ride on the SkyTrain with a connection by bus to campus of another ten minutes. But my friends who were still living on campus insisted I visit a minimum of every other weekend if not sooner. We we're going to play lawn volleyball.

"You could knock me over with a feather!" I turned around to discover that it was in fact my summer text buddy.

"Gordie, hey!" Coincidence we found each other so soon.

"Hi Maddie. So you're an athlete, huh?"

"Recreationally, anyway."

"That's great! You should try curling, recreationally. Or even amateur."

"You mean the sport with the brooms in the Olympics?"

"Yeah, its a national sport in Canada. I play for the university first team."

"Oh, really," I said with an inquisitive expression.

"Yeah, I'm going to try out for the Olympic qualifier this year. I'm too old for juniors and I want to go pro. I'll be trying to qualify for the Curling Canada men's national tournament in Alberta as well. Except ours is the most competitive province."

For all the time we spent getting to know each other, how had this not come up yet? We established him as a sports guy, yes, but this is just next level. "Look at you, moving on up in the world." He was not thrilled by that remark.