QUEER AS FOLK (US): LIFE TO THE FULL

1

MAY 2006

"Oh fucking hell! This is the 5th time this month"

Justin Taylor cautiously pushed the door inward to his room on the 6th floor to his building. The medium sized room was not completely ransacked, but it had been clear, by the open drawers, the messed up closets and shear clutter all over the floor that somebody had had a good rout around for anything valuable to steal.

The girl with him pulled a hand through her curly hair and looked about the clutter and back to Justin who started to hang some shirts back into the closet.

"Why not find someplace else?"

"I would if I could Lisa...but you know how it is, I can't afford it with the money I make working at that bar...I think I might be living on tips alone if it wasn't for my salary going on the rent"

Lisa laughed as she helped him clear up, "Yeah...but you must get a lot of those...with that smile in all"

Justin laughed and closed up the closet, "You still working on that piece for the gallery?"

Lisa shook her head as she sat on Justin's bed, "No...free night...and it's a Friday", she sang with a twinkle in her eye.

Justin found her zest for the clubs infectious. It was like a candy-store for her, a forbidden one where you couldn't eat or touch anything. The men were hot...but not hot for was also his only true friend in New York. She was an artist too but was doing a bit better than him.

Justin quickly changed his T-Shirt and said, "I guess we can throw a burger down our necks and then head off to ZZens"

Lisa jumped to her feet, "Ohhh the new place...sounds great..."

Justin grabbed her hand and they were on their way down the fire escape, "Okay...but you don't go all weird on me when you and stare at all the lights"

Lisa chuckled as she tried to keep up with him, "It's inspiration for next piece...a rainbow of color"

They reached the sidewalk at the base of the stairwell and he looked at her, "Hey are you sure Jamie doesn't mind you coming out with me on a Friday night AGAIN..."

Justin flagged down a cab, "Jamie is studying...Jamie has his nose in a book ALL the time...Jamie is..."

"...Boring?", asked Justin with a hint of cheeky grin.

Lisa laughed out loud as a cab pulled up and they jumped in the back.

QAF

ZZens nightclub maybe new in town, but it didn't disappoint. It rocked. The music, the atmosphere, the guys, the lights, the go-go dancers in their jockstraps and the gantries on three levels with guys, guys and yet more guys.

Lisa's eyes, as usual, were on stalks. But she so loved the electric atmosphere of a gay nightclub, it makes straights one's appear grey and dull.

Justin had his backside pinched more than once as he skipped across the busy dancing area from the back bar. Two beers were in his tight grasp.

His teeth blinded her as he smiled and handed her one of the bottles.

"I'm so drunk!", she laughed and hiccuped.

Justin took a long swig of his beer and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, "You and me both, honey"

Lisa marvelled around her, "this place maybe new...but it must be THE BEST place to be around the Village"

"I second that", Justin yelled over the music. A waft of poppers hit his face.

"He's HOT!", Lisa pointed to a twentysomething guy leaning over the first gantry in a tight leather vest.