About twice a year, my mom and I go to the Dallas Trade Center to find interesting wholesale gifts for her bookstore. It's pretty much an all-day trip. I mentioned this to Whines, thinking he might be interested in coming along and not particularly wanting to exclude him--while for some reason I get in to the show as a "manager," they've got a guest pass for non-professionals (in most cases, usually the bored husbands of happy little female buyers, who stand at the end of the aisles and hold samples and brochures.)

The entire trade center complex is, by its nature, filled with sales reps. Most male gift and stationary sales reps are a little bit flambouyant, shall we say.

Mom's comment when I asked about bringing Whines along--"Two gay guys in a building full of gay guys? How am I supposed to get any attention?"