Last weekend was San Diego Pride, and I had one hell of a good time!
Friday
I arrived in San Diego via train from Union Station up in LA, and on my ride down I was joined by a young lady. We got to talking and I mentioned my title of California Leather boy, and explained that as a titleholder I represented every man who identified as a leather boy in the entire state of California. I also went on to describe what my experiences were like with the leather families out there, how the people were like everyone else, only the attitude towards sex was generally treated much more openly, and how comfortable it made me feel to be around them. She seemed interested and I gave her my information and this blog's URL. I asked her of course if she was comfortable reading my stories, and she responded that she finds this sort of thing interesting, and that she loves freaking out her room mate, hahaha!
Upon arriving in San Diego I was greeted by Sir M. who was dressed in full leather to meet me at the station, thank you sir. We headed to his car where his boy D. was handcuffed and chained. This was our first meeting, and he was just so cute all shackled and helpless.
We stopped by Pleasures and Treasures, and the place had changed significantly since I had been there last for my Title contest. There was erotic artwork up on the walls of the second floor, and very interesting black panels on the balcony of the second upstairs room which gave it an artsy modern look. While there I met with Ida of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, who told me about the Veil of Shame project. She took out a bland piece of fabric which had some messages scrawled all over it in various colors, and explained that the idea was that you write down anything that made you feel bad about yourself, whether it was something someone said to you, something you heard someone say to someone else that indirectly made you feel bad, and the Veil of Shame would absorb that negative energy from you. Then later they would burn the Veil of Shame and all that accumulated negative energy would be released into the universe.
It made me cry every time she explained it. I'm crying as I type this very sentence.
I took the opportunity and released negativity into the veil. I didn't get to see them burn it, but it doesn't matter, I know that the veil is gone forever, and my negativity with it.
Thank you, Ida.
Upon being politely booted out as they closed for the night, we headed to Sir M's apartment and tied the boy down to the bed and proceeded to play with his helpless body. Playing with his nipples, making him squirm and moan, at times I thought we may be going too far in twisting them with his loud moaning, but I was assured that he enjoyed every moment of it all. Then, finally making the boy erupt, it was my turn. His boy had a gentle soft touch, easing my body and melting my stress, he worked me quite nicely until I finally exploded, a burst of all my built up physical stress leaving me.
Saturday
After an enjoyable breakfast, Sir M., his boy, and I headed over to the Pride Parade grounds in order to meet up with the Fetish Men of San Diego group, and along the way we met up with Samuel (California Leather Sir 2012), Mike Russel, and his boy by pure chance. We joined them in heading over to the parade grounds where we waited for the event to start. Several hours later the parade began and we began marching. Mama of Mama's Family, someone I'm only just starting to learn about sat in a decorated cart at the lead, which was drawn by a woman dressed in a silver bodysuit and pony gear.
At first I was just having fun, walking down the streets of San Diego, keeping in formation, waving at people, then I started relaxing and letting myself go. Feeding on the energy of the crowd, and my leather brothers and sisters, I started waving more even if it hurt my back (as I've thrown it out due to my nagging cough) I grit my teeth and kept waving, I was having too much fun to show, or acknowledge pain.
Like with all Pride Parades there were protesters, and at first I was simply going to ignore them, as I have been doing for years keeping to my idea that if you ignore someone obnoxious they will simply fuck off and try to annoy someone else until they become bored or someone punches their lights out. However the parade came to one of its multiple halts and by pure chance we were stopped right in front of the protesters, who were kept at a distance behind metal fencing and police officers. I glanced over and saw where we were, the energy of the parade and the fun I was having had awakened the little mischievous fox and he wanted to have a little fun. I don't even remember who I spoke to, but I said to him "Hey look! Haters! Come here a sec!" and pulled him in for a nice, deep kiss. Right in front of them.
My thoughts on this? Well, what do you use to combat hate? Love. Show them they don't get to you, and you're more comfortable than anyone else, especially them, with who you are.
At the end of the parade route we reached the park and the march dissipated, people went their separate ways, and it was a fun confusing mix of cheerleaders, drag queens, leather men, and even tribal-dressed dancers. At this point I had no idea where anyone was, and since we never really made a specific point to meet up at afterward, I headed off to where the festival was to meet back up with Sir M. and boy D. The line at the front gate was a mile long, and when Sir M. and his boy arrived it had gotten longer. Sir M. mentioned he saw another entrance and sure enough, after following the wall of the festival, we found a smaller, lesser-known gate where they were taking tickets as well.
After enjoying the festival for a while, we took lunch to Sunset Cliffs, enjoyed the sea view, and then headed back to Sir M.'s apartment where he stripped and bound both myself and boy D. to the bed and left us to enjoy each other while he made plans for dinner. (Sir M. was within earshot at all times.) The exhaustion from the parade and the day had started to reach me, I faded in and out of consciousness. I was so comfortable, one hand bound to the bed, the other handcuffed to boy D., legs restrained at the foot of the bed. What better way to take a nap, am I right? Eventually Sir M. returned and toyed with me, teased me, and I released once more.
Later we joined Sir M. and his boyfriend for a light dinner, then returned to the apartment. After talking a little, both boy D. and I were ordered into our wrestling singlets, and both Sir M. and his boyfriend donned theirs. We paired off, Sir M. took me on the futon, while his boyfriend led boy D. into the bedroom. He teased me a while, but I was already so tired, I regretfully could not be any more fun and exciting than kissing and cuddling.
Sunday
The next day we returned to the festival and enjoyed it a little more, visiting the Leather Realm section, meeting up with other titleholders and friends, and I took the opportunity to grab a few pictures with some very handsome and well-built young men who were selling water and sodas in the middle of the festival street. When you see an opportunity like that, you just have to grab it, otherwise you'll think back and wonder why you never did.
The weekend was very enjoyable, and I am thankful for the positive experiences and for all of the hard work everyone put forth to put it all together.
Thank You, and Play Safe.
