Stories
Essay, humor and adventure
The Friend Who's Always Late to Drinks
Every friend group has one: the guy who is ALWAYS late.
An ode to waiting with a lukewarm spritz. Our friend group has an unwritten rule. If we agree to meet at eight, Marco shows up at nine. Sometimes half past. Once he arrived the next morning. Okay, that last one's an exaggeration. But it sure felt like it. The eternal promise Marco always texts the same thing. On my way! With an exclamation mark. Sometimes with a little running man emoji. By now we know the truth: on my way means nothing. He's still in the shower. Or he's trying on his fourth outfit of the night. Or he's lost his keys. Again. The waiting ritual We're sitting on the terrace. The spritz is ordered. The spritz is gone.…
My Friend Group Chat Is a Complete Disaster
In our gay friend group chat, everything happens. Except actually making plans. An ode to 247 unread messages and perpetual chaos. My…
The Darkroom Closes, the Gym Fills Up
The gay scene is changing. What disappears with the old bars, and what takes their place? A walk through Amsterdam's Reguliersdwarsstraat.…
The Signal Operator of Vimy
Spring 1917, northern France. Amid mud and shellfire, signal operator Daan finds a Canadian sapper. One night changes everything. The Line…
My Friend Group's Chat is an Absolute Disaster
Our friend group has a group chat. All sorts of things happen there. Except actually making plans. We have a group chat. Six gay guys.…
The Darkroom Has Vanished, and Something Else With It
Amsterdam's gay bars are closing one by one. What do we lose when the scene dissolves into apps and gentrification? On…
The Rider and the Senator
Rome, 52 AD. A Gallic cavalryman and a young senator share one night before the campaign north begins. The Rider and the Senator It had…
My Friend Group's Chat App Never Stops
My gay friend group has a group chat. There are 847 unread messages. Nobody remembers what any of…
The Darkroom Has Become a Museum
Amsterdam's gay scene is changing faster than ever. What disappears with the old bars? And what do…
The Leather Bar That Vanished, and What Took Its Place
An old gay bar closes, the gym thrives. What does that say about us? An essay on lost places and…
The Marble Vein
In a Florentine workshop, a young sculptor meets his model. Between dust, light, and secrets,…
The Friend Who's Always Late (And His Excuses)
Every gay friend group has one: that person who's never on time. And their excuses just keep…
My Friend Group's Chat Is an Absolute Disaster
On the challenges of making plans with five gay men in one WhatsApp group. Spoiler alert: nobody…
My Friend Group's Chat Never Stops
My gay friend group has a group chat that works harder than most people I know. 247 messages…
The Roses of Isfahan
In the gardens of the shah, a young poet encounters a silent guard. One glance, and nothing will…
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