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International LeatherSir 2005 Dexter Edmond on Leather Pantheon Weekend

Date:	Mar 20, 2006
From:	International LeatherSIR 2005 Dexter Edmond

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My day began very early, as is typical for me when taking a trip. After garnering a couple of hours of sleep, I awoke to finish packing some last-minute items. Soon, I was on my way to the airport to fly to Chicago and the frigid weather that was awaiting me and the other attendees for Pantheon weekend.

After catching a bit of sleep on the first leg of my flight - thank God for being bumped up to First class - I awoke just in time to eat breakfast, and also decided to take the time to write a bit in my personal journal. I reflected on the activities of the two weeks leading up to this day and the work of transitioning into my new responsibilities as International LeatherSIR. It somehow seemed that the universe saw fit that my first public appearance in this capacity would be at Pantheon, as this beloved community recognized the contributions of some of the amazing individuals who make it what it is. After arriving in Dallas, I was greeted by the smiling face of one of the special boys in this community - boy Ed of Dallas. He would be accompanying me on the flight from Dallas to Chicago. It’s always good to see him, and it certainly made the flight go by faster (especially with DVDs to watch and the occasional nudge of his leg against mine - yes, we do know how to be affectionate yet civil ;-)).

On the ground in Chicago, it didn’t take long to experience first hand what my body had been away from for the past 10 years - the typical biting cold of a Midwest winter - BRRR!!! Soon, we were on our way to the Heart of Chicago Motel in the warmth of a taxi. Upon our arrival (and skepticism of the physical layout of the motel), we immediately were greeted by the "Florida Delegation" of my good friend, Eric Siglin, Mr. Florida Olympus 2006, his boy, Earl, and Jazz and Spencer. While we were exchanging strong bear hugs and other greetings, the other part of the Florida Delegation walked up - Lincoln Calcavecchi, Mr. Gulf Coast Florida Leather 2006, and his partner, Tom. Needless to say, being greeted by all of these handsome men took our minds off of the motel for a bit - at least, until boy Ed and I walked up the steps to our awaiting room. Although my good friend and cohort, Blackkat, had already given me a hint - and only a hint - of what to expect, I still wasn’t fully prepared for what was behind the door. In the motel’s defense, I will say that the room was indeed very clean, and the staff that greeted us was very pleasant; however, the room could best be described as a throwback to the 60’s and 70’s in its décor and amenities. After getting past our initial impression of the room, as well as a very humorous review and comparing of notes by Blackkat, boy Ed, and I, we agreed that, in the end, this would be one of those situations that we could back on and laugh about!

After taking a short nap, I changed clothes, donned my leather jacket and gloves, and boy Ed and I headed out to dinner in the cold before Stallion and Master Lou Molnar arrived, as they would be sharing the room with us. Those who know me know that I enjoy good food, and, when I’m in Chicago, I love to partake of the ethnic food that is so plentiful in the city. So, I took boy Ed to one of my favorite restaurants on the north side - Reza’s - and not far from the motel. If you like Persian and Mediterranean cuisine, it’s a great place to visit when in Chicago, and there’s a nice window view of some hot men, as it’s only a couple of blocks north of the Chicago Eagle! After a nice, quiet, and filling meal, it was back to the motel to greet Stallion and Master Lou and to prepare for the evening’s festivities.

The evening would find us at the Cell Block to pick up our registration packages, but also to see the contestant introductions for both the Mr. Cell Block Leather 2006 and the Mr./Ms. Olympus Leather 2006 contests. I was excited to return to the Cell Block, as it had been 4 years since the last time I was in the bar. I’m glad to see that the new owner has returned leather to this historic Chicago gay bar. Once our brigade of four small bald men arrived at the Cell Block, I was immediately greeted by some of the Windy City boys Troup, and a few other notable faces. After a few minutes, both Stallion and Master Lou began their usual ribbing about the number of people I know and how quickly my progress to the rest of the bar was slowed by the greetings (and gropes) and short conversations that ensued. Stallion and I soon made our way back by the pool table to speak to the ever-present and humorous Mr. Marcus, as well as our host, Dave Rhodes, and IML 2005, Michael Egdes. It’s always a pleasure to talk to Michael, so we spent a few minutes catching up since we last saw each other at MAL. As I finished talking to Michael, Stallion stepped away for a bit, and I went over to speak to Ms. Kendra and slave garrett. So, after the contestant introductions were complete, Stallion and I headed to the back bar for an opportunity to meet Jon Krongaard, who was charming with his sarcastic wit - something I can appreciate, as I tend to be a sarcastic wit at times (evil grin). It was great to have words of encouragement and support from Jon and several others for the work ahead. Finally, I got to talk to IMsL 2005, Jessi Holman-Ahart, who I first met in Atlanta during ILSb, last October. Stallion and I spent some more time talking to her and Michael Edges and eventually decided that we would head to the Chicago Eagle and continue our evening there. Soon, Jessi, Stallion, boy Ed, and I were off in a cab to the Eagle, where we continued a stimulating discussion on a variety of topics before closing down the Eagle and heading back to our motels to grab a few hours of sleep - but, not before Stallion, boy Ed, and Mr. Olympus 2005, Freddie Marshall, headed over to a Chicago staple, White Castle, to get food while Master Lou and I stayed in the room. With our appetites satisfied - nutritionally, that is ;-) - we finally fell asleep. In a few hours, we would begin a full day of activities...

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