BRAT!

BRAT: BARELY RECOGNIZED AS TEXTILE!

It is on this date, January 3, 2009, that Jay and I first met, became acquainted and embarked on an amazing friendship that now spans half of the continental USA and encompasses my spouse, Aaron, Jay’s current love/interest, Raheem, and members of all of our families! In the hope of inspiring similar relationships, I always like to recall this personal moment and share the joy! Friends may come and friends may go, but best friendships may endure a lifetime!

January 3 was a Saturday in 2009, and the timing was ideal for a bare practitioner social event in downtown Washington, D.C. The weather was remarkably mild outside and we were becoming excited about the inauguration of our new president, Barack Obama! What better way to celebrate the festive mood than in the company of “our” community – all completely clothes free!

It was early this past December that Jay’s live-in partner, Raheem, developed the title name for us: BRAT (barely recognized as textile). In his mind, it summarizes the uniqueness of our friendship – at least in our eyes! Since 2009, Jay and I mutually consider ourselves as the very best of friends!

“One reason for bare practitioners making the best of friends is that the absence of clothing (concealment) enables people to become honest and sincere as they lack the tools to disguise (clothing). What naked friends see – a natural body – is the reality of friendship. Bare with pride and with nothing to hide!”

After we met, Jay and I emailed and texted one another constantly throughout the entire week. We’d both felt so compatible and relaxed that it was obvious a serious friendship was about to unfold. With the inauguration of the then newly-elected Barack Obama rapidly approaching, we’d tentatively made plans to get together at Jay’s apartment in two weeks for a Saturday afternoon dessert sampling at a local bakery.

Halfway to our planned two-week get-together, I went to a local booksellers to get some of the titles that Jay had recommended to me via email. Unknown to me, he arrived at the same store at approximately the same time to shop for some books that I had shared with him! Unplanned and unannounced, we were both under the same roof again – exactly one week later!

There were a couple of times that we passed one another in the same aisles at the store. I know that I wondered who he was and why he was looking at me. Later, he admitted the same thoughts. Unfortunately, the both of us were dressed in layers of clothing to protect ourselves from the severe winter weather outside. Unlike the week before when we met, the outdoor temperatures had dipped into the normal range for this time of year.

It was early that evening that I received a text message from Jay asking if I had shopped at the bookstore that day. In the ensuing texts, our “chance but missed encounter” was uncovered. Too bad we didn’t have the opportunity to visit the store in the nude. We were both familiar with our common nakedness and would have immediately recognized one another!

In hindsight, Jay and I should have accompanied one another to the dressing room and “donned our apparel” (gotten dressed) together. Perhaps then either one of us would have recognized the other textile. Being clothed would then not be such an alien, bizarre, foreign and unimaginable concept!

Another “first” in our new-found friendship!

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, January 7, 2022, the proposed topic is: “ReNude Pride Is 5!”