Perspective!

Background:

The Pentagon City Fashion Centre is a popular shopping mall/tourist attraction in Arlington, Virginia, located near The Pentagon and just south of the Potomac River which separates the District of Columbia (Washington, D.C., from the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is located very near the condominium where Aaron (my spouse) and I reside.

The incident described below happened almost a full year after I began publishing ReNude Pride back in 2017. We were both shopping in the mall during the winter holiday season. In reality, it was winter and we were both fully clothed in outerwear and our casual garments!

Aaron recalled this situation about a week ago and encouraged it as a “seasonal” topic to post here during this year’s holiday tradition!

I am using pictures of my fellow blogger, Adimu and myself to illustrate this posting as this was our very first time spent together when we took these images using a telephoto lens and adapter.

The truth is…

Early December, 2017 – it was a Saturday and Aaron (my h-u-s-b-a-n-d) – both legally and officially – and I exited the Metro Blue Line at the Pentagon City subway station. We entered the Pentagon City shopping mall for a particular item of clothing. What that was is as unimportant as the cost of a pair of sunglasses is to Rudolph (the red-nosed reindeer)!

Then, as now, we were both honest and open about our being bare practitioners (same gender loving naturists/nudists). We were probably publicly holding onto one another’s hands or walking arm-in-arm. President Obama had served his second term the previous January and his successor was now in office so we were most definitely in physical contact and completely clothed!

The winter holiday shopping frenzy was underway as we patiently progressed through the four shopping levels. We had all day and had ridden the subway; there was no need or reason to hurry. The only pressing item on our agenda for the day was to get home and return to our usual state of nakedness!

Somewhere along the way to wherever, Aaron stopped as he had been approached by another man – presumably alone. My spouse released my hand and immediately began using American Sign Language (ASL) as this man was addressing him orally. At the very least, I would be able to follow their conversation.

From what we both recall from this encounter, the conversation began quite amicable, decent and friendly – initially. This man admitted to regularly reading ReNude Pride. He looked me “in the eye” as he complimented me on writing this blog and on our relationship (marriage). This wasn’t the first time someone had acknowledged our interracial gay status nor our being open concerning our preference for nakedness.

Suddenly, the conversation changed from pleasant to one of hostility. This man – name unknown – became increasingly emotional and he specifically accused us both as being insensitive to the fact that being gay was totally incompatible with being nudists!

Both Aaron and I remember his closing argument: “There is no way a gay man can be comfortable being naked among complete strangers!”

I was shocked and surprised! I couldn’t grasp his reasoning behind this exclamation! What triggered this exclamation? I was unable to even think of any response!

Fortunately, Aaron wasn’t in the same type of mental wasteland. He answered, calmly and simply: “Better to be naked with strangers than to be in costume among friends!”

He then grabbed my hand and led me away!

“A moment’s insight is sometimes worth a life’s experience.” ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes ~ American jurist

Naked hugs!

Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride

Author’s Note: The next post entry here is for Friday, December 15, 2023, and the proposed topic is: “Schedule!”