"A Real Text Exchange Between Myself and Brett D." by Alden Nagel
All About Drag Queens, Lease Clauses, The Bible and Hell
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alden Nagel is the founder and editor of Nut Hole Publishing, and also a writer. He currently lives in Seattle, where he sits, watches, reads, and writes.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: I believe context for this is very important. First of all, “Dobson” is not Brett’s last name. I’ve known the man all too well, but I cannot recall his last name. Regardless, given that the following is a real, directly-quoted whole of a text exchange I recently had with the man, I believe the only ethical route for publishing this, is to anoint him with a false last name.
Brett is, or rather was, my late father’s (who was more often than not, simply called “Willie”) best friend. Considering my own father was similarly conservative about many issues, I’d categorize his sociopolitical aspects of him as more nihilistic, or perhaps even stoic in a kind-of hippy way (his dreaming out loud in front of me at a hot dog shop about his yearning to vote for Howard Schultz in the 2020 election cycle put aside). What interests me, and perhaps I’ll write on this in the future, is the amount of sheer romanticizing being done among his legion of drinking buddies, and internally unstable friends and confidants, both before and after his passing. If I were to write about this, I would be remiss in not including the anecdote (as personally told to me by the woman this happened to) about a time when my alcoholic father forcibly broke into her apartment by bursting through her door, just in an effort to steal her panties. May God be the judge of that one. That being said, considering God is almost always thought of as an extension of some gravitational center of human morality, perhaps what’s obvious about his act of breaking and entering with a profoundly malicious intent, is the whole of the law.
Brett and I have texted occasionally since my father’s passing in October of last year, but more accurately, I have been invited by him (almost always when I was living at my late father’s apartment in the wake of his sudden passing) to go sit next to him, at the bar. Wherein, he would pay for my drinks and my meals while he would talk at me in his own very special, neurotic way — standing the whole time, so as to also watch whatever sports channel happened to be playing on the many screens inhabiting the establishment. He would speak in a way reminiscent of those kind of people who need someone to listen to them talk, because their problems couldn’t possibly be equal to (let alone be listenable from) another person’s mouth, to the boisterously chatty chatelaine themself. I couldn’t hardly ever get a word in much ever, I realized early on. You really can completely throw out the idea of making small talk, such as bringing up current events or pop culture to such a man. The reasons why you really do need to watch the recent Elon Musk talk defending his buying of Twitter to a crowd of investors, oh man, that’s what you need in every part of your life, right now.
Anyhow, below is a word-for-word, syntax-for-syntax typing of a recent text exchange I had with Brett. My only commentary otherwise, about our text exchange that is, is that it doesn’t matter to me that he’s fifty eight years old (even though he’s told me to only ever tell others, especially women, that he’s forty eight if they were to ask). He has also told me, that I really should try pussy. He thinks that would change me, if I just tried it. Perhaps it just might, pussy. Luckily, I already have one at home. His name is Roy, and he’s a five month old grey shorthair mix kitten.
I bide my time, while biting my tongue.
Brett Dobson: I hope you still have Willies phone active as I mentioned a dozen times we had and have unfinished business to attend to thanks
Alden Nagel: What is the unfinished business?
AN: I do have it, yes
BR: Unfinished
AN: Brett.
AN: Please do tell me
AN: You’ve never been very clear about this, I’m curious as to what this business would be since, anything it could be used for might be legally attributed to me
AN: Especially since, I wonder why it hasn’t been done on anyone else’s phone
BR: He was about to do this communication project he had passion about and nothing to do with Legal or illegal or you .
AN: Communication project, regarding the restaurant and drag queens?
BR: Ex girlfriends and closing out the loops with positive affirmations and exit
BR: And that would be good too !!!
BR: As I was wing nan on most of his ex girlfriends occasions before ex :)
BR: Man
BR: 92 % of residents surveyed don’t approve and forced and can’t bring cousin or cousins kids around on Sunday’s as noted as not a dramatic show or artistic it’s hard core sexual ok dude Gn just an aside since you brought it up nice :)
BR: Lol
BR: I had a friend visit from Ukraine I worked with on wall street 30 years ago haven’t seen since and he saw that and was shocked an awes and I said we never even had that in residential building the size of this aka 734 apartments in the village either . Never seen before in the history of a resident property where residents were stuck in a lease and commercial had a different lease
BR: If it was a Broadway show style but it’s far from that !
BR: Ok focus on ex girlfriends one on his arm
BR: Ok Gn
AN (replying to “92 % of residents…”): That, sounds like purely a matter between the owners and their landlord, outside interference would be unnecessary. Furthermore — wouldn’t that complicate it, and make the owners want to double down on their stance if it’s already known they want to continue doing the shows?
BR: Ok back to work and please uh I work away from social contact until 2pm daily so texts very distracting and so I turn it off block notifications etc
BR: Uh residential vs commercial lease clauses
BR: Incorrect dude
AN: He should see what goes down at actual drag bars, it’s actual gay culture there, not just a show to bring in brunch customers, which is very typical. Entertainers for tips, like a continuation culturally of doowop singers [in restaurants]
BR: Yeah in a FUCKING BAR
BR: Not a building with kids
BR: Wake up dude and Gn
AN (responding to “Incorrect dude”): Well regardless, it also speaks to a larger cultural issue that extends past anything legal, if at least in the greater Seattle area’s zeitgeist
BR: Shut the fuck up and adios BLOCKED
AN: Well, I am gay, and went to a drag show at 14. Nothing shocked me then, my mom took me and a 14yo friend of mine
AN: I think, it’s kind of just a moral panic at the end of the day. That is, the rhetoric as your phrase it has the staying power of a moral panic.
BR: That says it all that was BIG mistake !!! And God bless prepare for hot down under
AN: Well, I’m getting married, something Willy was never able to do. As his son, I can speak to his name and memory, and it’s just that, I won’t do that.
AN: Honey, if I believed in a hell, I don’t think it wouldn’t apply to people who become angry and wrathful (I’m referencing the Commandment there) let alone speak against their neighbors and plot against them. But, doesn’t God forgive all transgressions?
AN: Genesis 3:1
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’”
Zechariah 8:14-17
Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the Lord.
Titus 1:7-9
Since an overseer is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trust-worthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
Leviticus 19:16
Do not go around spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.
Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 57:1-7
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. I cry out to the God Most High, to God, who fulfills his purpose for me. He sends from heaven and saves me, rebuking those who hotly pursue me; God sends his love and his faithfulness. I am in the midst of lions; I lie among ravenous beasts—men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. They spread a net for my feet—I was bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in my path—But they have fallen into it themselves. My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast.
2 Chronicles 15:2
The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you.
AN: Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
Now all have been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring each deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
BR: Sorry about that I live it for years now and it is what it is and sorry for thr language you care eat well spinach and salmon and green tea and yiu will be fine and start saving !
AN: Luke 17:1-2
Jesus spoke to his disciples. “Things that make people sin are sure to come,” he said. “But how terrible it will be for anyone who causes those things to come! Suppose people lead one of these little ones to sin. It would be better for those people to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck.”
BR: Very serious put away $50 a month in stock index symbol VOO vanguard fund matches the market and low to no cost ok live long and prosper !
AN: John 2:14-16
In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”
BR: Yes well however Luke chapter Oye and in summary and after 60 years of that and ok in Sum… God in mysterious ways :) Gn
AN: No no, you don’t throw rocks and hide your hands.
AN: Chapter 1 of Luke makes extensive utilization of Zechariah; he is a recurring character within the Bible, one of the most prominent through it, if I had to say, compile a list of 20 most frequent figures within the Bible. Now, Zechariah is interesting because while he spherically talks about the importance of man’s relationship with God as an internal phenomenon, he was notably persuaded by close confidants of his to make note of, and proselytize about rituals (mass, how to behave publicly, etc).
AN: It was his confidants who told him, rather persuaded him in fact, to discuss ideas that might affect people’s outward behavior in society. Not, say, what he himself was originally fascinated and enamored with — man’s personal, internal relationship with God.
AN: Now, I’d like to point out something about Zechariah; his placement within the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling.
AN:
AN: Perhaps it is the children who are reading, or rather engaging with what he is reading up on there, no? Is it not children we set examples for, as adults?
AN: Again, as my father’s child, someone who has been around drag queens my whole adult life and before, I declare that you’re fully full of shit, Brett, and that you watch Fox News too much. Morals panics have nothing to do with what actually impacts people’s lives. If it did, more than half the music Willie listened to would apply to a different moral panic from your time; the Satanic Panic of the 80s and 90s.
AN: This has been documented time and time again: the concept of satan, to the effect of making edgy music edgy, has caused no harm to anyone besides make them listen a little closer to the lyrics being sung… maybe.
AN: If you want to know how to these things measurably affect children, well
Where Playful Dress-Up and 'Strategic Defiance' Meet
Analysis: Political rhetoric, false claims obscure the history of drag performance
AN: … I might recommend, as someone who purports to be a professional, that you at least present an argument, not a poor one-liner when you say these things, these horribly dated, hateful ideas. Why can’t people be entertained while working out their hangovers at a restaurants on a Sunday morning? Well if they’re not working, then maybe they better be working out their relationship with god right?
AN: Wrong.
AN: It’s always best to see where these things start. Regardless, barbarism begins at home, right?
BR: You have no idea and all that reference to research and bible is so far wrong that it makes me sad for your upbringing and you are Moms’ son. This is not artistic this is atrocious!!!! Bumping and grinding show old guys dressed like clown ladies get down on knees to cowboy stripper and we are in residential building big south lake Union on a Sunday unbelievably disrespectful. And blocked and don’t come near me in out and GOOD LUCK!
BR: That is should be south lake Union location as not residential and you just don’t get this specific residential residence kids and the level of sex This net ru Paul on Broadway not in a residential building
BR: All the best
AN: What do you do with the mad that you feel
When you feel so mad you could bite?
When the whole wide world seems oh, so wrong…
And nothing you do seems very right?
What do you do? Do you punch a bag?
Do you pound some clay or some dough?
Do you round up friends for a game of tag?
Or see how fast you go?
It’s great to be able to stop
When you’ve planned a thing that’s wrong,
And be able to do something else instead
And think this song:
I can stop when I want to
Can stop when I wish
I can stop, stop, stop any time.
And what a good feeling to feel like this
And know that the feeling is really mine.
Know that there’s something deep inside
That helps us become what we can.
For a girl can be someday a woman
And a boy can be someday a man.
— Mr. Rogers, “What do you do with the Mad that you Feel”
I have no words. But wow!