I made it to the DC Eagle without incident and chatted with the awe-inspiring (among other-things-inspiring) preppyperv as she got the contestant information packets ready for the judges. The deaf contestant, Sir Y, had said in an e-mail that he’d be there between 6-6:15, but he didn’t show up until about 10 minutes to 7. We went upstairs and I interpreted what the Den Daddy - the adorable Tim Woody - had to say to the contestants (there were five total). After that we had to hang out at the club bar on the second floor while each contestant went back upstairs to interview with the judges. Sir Y was fifth, so we had a nice long wait, and I got to help Tim Woody write the “funny question” cards. (Which Smurf would you make your bitch, and why…which president would you want to screw, and what scandal would arise, etc.)

The interviews were supposed to be over by 8:30, but they took a really long time with each contestant. I half-chatted and half-interpreted down at the club bar (where pegsioux stopped by), trying to let Sir Y decide for himself what conversation he wanted to join in on, and trying to relax and slip in my own comments from time to time. It’s not easy to interpret socializing at these things, because the contestants are supposed to be bonding and making friends (there’s a brotherhood award at most events), and it’s kind of weird to have five leathermen socializing - and there I am, a girl, in the middle of it all. It’s also not easy to balance interpreting what the hearing people are saying, and letting the deaf person get a word in edgewise. Fortunately they did want to include him, and of course the Gallaudet protests came up, etc. Finally it was our turn to go upstairs, and I was asked to get in place behind the judges’ table before Sir Y came into the room. He made a good impression, I think, and I felt like I did a pretty good job. It’s hard to interpret that kind of thing, because he is supposed to be making an impression on the judges, and they are hearing a female voice coming from behind them that is obviously a little bit later than what he’s saying due to lag time. So whenever there is a deaf contestant, I always work really hard to be perfect, because I want to make him look as good to the hearing judges as he deserves to be. To my surprise, the last question they asked him was also about the Gallaudet protests - which is not at all related to leather! I guess they just slipped it in because they hadn’t heard a deaf person’s perspective and wanted to know what he thought.

By the time we finished the second floor was open and it was almost time to begin. At one point I went back upstairs to my purse to put on some lipstick, and I heard the tallymaster (makeplayhappen) read out five numbers…and the last one was higher than the others. But I had to rush back downstairs - it was almost time for the contest to start. I had put a stool up on the stage but it ended up being an awkward height so I put it down and just stood onstage - even though I was wearing really bad shoes and my feet already hurt from being on them all day. The first part of the contest went great, we got through the bar wear/intro and formal wear/speech categories just fine. The MC, Frank Nowicki, remembered to hand the microphone to me every time Sir Y was onstage - I’ve had problems in the past with the MC’s trying to hand the mike to the deaf contestant, who usually looks at me and goes “huh?” But Frank is a really awesome MC and he did a great job.

Unfortunately, when it was time for the jockstrap/funny question portion, I had a mishap. See, I was already standing on the edge of the little stage, and I turned around so I could see Sir Y and interpret for him, and he was kind of close so I took a step back, and…I fell off the stage! Fortunately preppyperv was right behind me, and Sir Y grabbed my arm, so I didn’t get hurt although a gasp did come up from the crowd. Anyway, that was embarrassing, and it threw me off for the funny question so I ended up fumbling and having to ask for a repeat and correct myself. And I had been doing so well! But that was the end of the contest, and Sir Y got first runner-up in a very close race - in fact all five contestants were close in scoring. I wish he could have won, but first runner-up is not too bad.

I wanted to get out of there ASAP, because I was exhausted and my feet were killing me. Unfortunately, I had parked in the side lot when I shouldn’t have, and earlier in the evening I had to hand over my keys so the parking attendant (a cute butch who told preppyperv that I was pretty, snort) could move my car. I was told during a break in the contest that my keys were safe downstairs, so when it was all over I tried asking at the bouncer for my keys - no luck. I tried the bartender on the first floor - no luck. So I had to stand around for about 30-45 minutes waiting for my keys, and I was unhappy mostly because my damn feet hurt so much! But if I hadn’t had to wait so long I wouldn’t have been walking out the door just as the supremely gorgeous dawnmarie727 and totally hot worldwalkerdc had been coming in, so I got to see them and that was nice. I didn’t get to stay though - Dawn Marie said I looked sleepy and that I should get along home!

It had turned out that the parking attendant had my keys, so I asked her for them…and she charged me $10 for reasons I still don’t understand. I guess being pretty isn’t enough, and the fact that she wasn’t there when I arrived isn’t enough, and the fact that she moved my car out of her lot isn’t enough…I don’t know. But I dug up $10 and got my car and went straight home.

This is a tough post to write, but I’m up to the challenge. I thought about locking it, or filtering it, or something, but I’m not going to. I am, however, going to hide part of it, because not everybody wants to read about my sex life.
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