So, I try to live vicariously through my single friends. Don't get me wrong, being in a relationship is great, but I like to hear about the exploits of my single friends, especially the slutty ones.
Take my friend, let's call him Billy. He's mastered the art of hooking up (mostly online), but he's also been in several serious relationships. Last week he had a couple of dates with a guy he's been chatting with online for a few months; he is totally infatuated.
So he tells me (and apparently the guy, too) that this new guy is "Elmo cute." Now I found this appellation odd at first until he explained; I still think it's odd, but I'm starting to get it—I think.
[An aside, I plan to write about Elmo in the near future, because I've looked him up and found out he has quite a fascinating history; for one thing, I thought Elmo wasn't on Sesame Street when I was watching as a kid, but he was—he just didn't have a name or the personality he now has.]
Now Billy is pretty average for a gay urban professional, he's pretty cute, works out, but could stand to lose a about 15 pounds, looks young for his age, dresses fairly well, and was wearing rimless glasses 5 years before anyone heard of Sarah Pallin, but he's no underwear model or fashion plate. He says that the day he turned 30 he suddenly found it easy to meet cute younger guys (anywhere from early 20s to a little younger than him) and through his mid, into his late 30s this has always been true; he gets laid more than anyone I know. Some of these guys he meets once, others become regular things, and a few he's seriously and monogamously been involved with (the last one for more than two years).
The only time he ever heard the phrase "Elmo cute" was about five years ago in a divey bar. It's one of the ones that's been around quite a while and always seems to have people in it, but has never been trendy. There was a good looking really drunk guy at the bar (friends with the bartender) who started talking to him and eventually said "you're so cute...you're so cute that you're Elmo cute!" he then dragged him into a corner, they made out for about 5 minutes and then suddenly said he had to leave—no phone number or anything—never to be seen again.
Billy says that he never understood what "Elmo cute" meant until he met this new guy. I've seen the new guy's picture—he's very very cute, and looks about 10 years younger than he is. But Elmo cute? I'm still trying to understand the concept.
As I didn't grow up with Elmo, and only "met" him when I started to babysit kids as a young teen. I realize now that I only really know Elmo back then, and from commercials and occasional talk show appearances. Maybe I will understand him better if I actually watch the show—I just set my DVR to record a few episodes including one called "Elmo finds a baby bird." I'm not sure how this will help me understand how a gay boy can be "Elmo cute," but you never know.