So I'm in a bit of an interesting spot. Last night I was invited to go to the Pride Parade next month in DC. I'm actually pretty excited at the prospect of going. Despite being self-aware of my homosexuality for almost 10 years now, I've never went to any pride related activites, or honestly had much interest on the pride/activist side of things until maybe the past year. So going to this next month would actually be a great experience, even more so with people that I know who've gone before to enjoy it with.
However there's a few snags with this. The minor one is getting the time off for work, which shouldn't be a problem. There's also dealing with the household side of things since I'm not out at home and have no plans to be until I've moved out. However I'm pretty certain I can manage with this side as well.
But the big one is that this is also yet another chapter in the "Friend that Barrylocke crushes on Saga". As I said in an
earlier post, I'm feeling a lot better about the whole situation. I do still have lingering feelings for him, but I've mentally accepted that this is where things are going, as opposed to before where I was definitely feeling some angst over him and his new squeeze hanging out all weekend for instance. I'm fine with being friends with him, and it's safe to say he feels the same way, because it was him that invited me to go to the Pride Parade...along with his boyfriend. I'm not 100% sure on the ordering of how who initially planned it and such went, but I know that it sparked from me mentioning that I've never attended one to him (and full disclaimer, I never knew he had planned to go if he did, I just mentioned it when the subject came up)
This of course brings up some worries. One is that going would definitely be a big test on my feelings on their relationship, as I've yet to meet his boyfriend. I'd like to think that further humanizing him would make me continue to see him as a person instead of an obstacle, because learning more about the guy himself instead of just all the fun things that he and my friend were doing actually helped to release some of the personal tension I had on the situation. But I'm aware that I could potentially find displays of affection etc. to be tougher to handle than I may think right now.
There's also the matter of feeling like a 3rd Wheel situation. With all friends that are dating, especially when it's fresh, I'm always careful to not get too in the way of their time to grow together, and I've tried to be the same way with my friend now, ie. leaving a lot messages etc. to him especially when I know they're hanging out. If I go, this would actually be the first time hanging out for an extended period of time with just a couple (as opposed to a group of friends which included a couple). The idea of it feels like it's ripe with awkwardness.
Does anyone have thoughts on either or both of these points? I do still want to go, but it seems like it'd be a pretty big social trial for me if I accept. I still haven't given a definitive answer as to if I'm going, though I told him that I am strongly considering it. I'll need to talk with him later to know if there's a deadline to the invitation due to transportation, staying there, etc. (Oh yeah, we'd be spending the night there at one of their friends spots, that may be worth a mention.)
TL;DR, A friend that I've had feelings invited me to go to a Pride parade with him and his boyfriend. The feelings of being with him and his boyfriend, plus the idea of being a 3rd wheel with anyone, makes me wonder how to go about this.