THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD?

Last night, I had a bit of an epiphany and I wasn't the only one. We were all out in the pub and me on my detox was drinking water and everything was fine. We were chatting to people we knew, listening to others, commenting on bad outfits and generally just socialising. Then we (that's Jon, Cameron, David and I) went next door to the Polo Lounge for a drink and dance. Nothing untoward there, we grabbed our drinks and headed down to our usual patch in the corner beside the DJ box. Now this is where my epiphany occured.....
It's bank holiday weekend although I was working so every fag, their hag and lezzer was out as an excuse for cheap booze and cheaper lays. We had not pouted or posed for more than 5 minutes when we weren't so much invaded as surrounded by barely legal teens doing their damndest to emulate Christina Aguilera in Dirrrty. Maybe it was the fact that I was sober but I felt slightly more mature than normal when I turned and saw a young boy really with so much acne I thought someone had decided to create a new type of pizza on his face dancing very agressively with his equally crushed velvet clothed hag. I turned the other direction and basically bumped into a couple of guys who had neither rhythm nor style but by God, they were whipping themselves into a frenzy - So much so that one of them lifted the other off the ground and decided to dry ride him, for sport I imagine.

I looked sharply to Cameron and then to Jon and we all came to the shocking, horrific revelation that possibly we were getting beyond that stage of being young free and mostly single (well completely in my case). Now we were semi young and free, in fact we were bordering on just the 'free' part. I don't remember being that outrageous when I first came out on the gay scene as a newbie or feeling that I had to be the loudest campest bitchiest queen possible. I knew I was camp and extremely bitchy a long time before I came out! We all laughed about the absurd situation but it got me thinking in a very Carrie Bradshaw moment......

"Is that it? Has the changing of the guard been completed in one quick flash? Is there life in the gay scene for me yet or have I passed my sell by date and going to turn into one of those old queens who eyes up the young guys with the glimmer of hope of even passing acknowledgement?"

Well the answer to all of the above is a resounding - Hell No. I'm more mature that's for sure, I've got a good 7 years under my belt as a gay in the village and can look at things with more perspective - and I have some sense of style, these new gays need some lessons on class and style. As for changing of the guard, I wouldn't put myself in the position of any young queen for love nor money. In a philosophical way, I wouldn't be where I am today if I hadn't gone through all I have. And my skin is in far better condition than the poor creatures of last night - and really that's what it boils down to, they have a few more years on their side (8 maximum as I'm only 26) but I have Clinique and the Victoria Principal Principal Secret infomercial on mine!