Sharp Broads

This weekend at the Pride festivities, I saw the best friend of the ex’s girlfriend after me two times. In fact, new girlfriend had once brought her to my house to introduce her to me because we were both Dominican and it’s rare to meet Dominicans on the West Coast (this was when the ex and I were still together, obviously). I had originally thought that the ex had been hooking up with her after me based on the myspace comments they were leaving each other right after we broke up and because once you go Dominican, you don’t go back. This was not the case. Apparently, once you go Dominican, you go mousy white girl but that is neither here nor there.

The first time was at the gates of Pink Party, where I was volunteering and yelling at people to pay the suggested donation of 5 dollars to get in (the charities being supported were some of my favorites supporting doggies and free women’s health and free sex information and free health care for sex workers) and I KNOW she saw me because she walked right by and made a very conscious effort to avoid my eyes. “Thanks for the donation, Claudia!” I yelled into the party. She did not say, “You’re welcome.”

The second time was the next afternoon at the Pride celebration at Civic Center. She was standing with a bunch of friends by one of the dance stages and once again, saw me and immediately averted her eyes. I wanted to go back and make her really uncomfortable, but Ed refused to indulge me, a sign of a true friend.

All I can say is THANK GOD I looked pretty fucking awesome both times. She didn’t see me in my usual uniform of black hoodie, jeans and torn up Diesel sneakers. She didn’t see me on an awkward Internet date or drunkenly buying cheddar and sour cream potato chips at Safeway at 2 in the morning. Instead, she saw me in some kind of official capacity at a huge event and then the next day where I was rocking a black and white dress, patent shoes, a vintage bag, and big Burberry sunglasses.

As I post this, I think… Why do I care? Why do I care if Claudia goes back and says something? It doesn’t matter, Joe is still gone and she’ll likely find something negative to say anyway, right? That’s how I would frame it if I saw one of my girls’ boyfriend’s exes around town. And the only real answer to that, to why I find this so meaningful to even post in here is that if the best revenge is living well, I see it as a tiny victory and in this post break up/getting over it that has dominated my life for the past year and a half, a tiny, petty victory is huge and I’ll take what I can get.