Still sick and a bit feverish thanks to my toothaches on my left side. Both my wisdom teeth on that side are acting up and sometimes the nerve endings tingle so intensely that I think I might go insane. I've been up and down all night and maybe slept 15 minutes here and there all night. I've tried Tylenol and Anbesol and ice-packs and, while the pain subsides at times, it always returns.

I decided to go see "The Street" at the Hideout at 7 and then drive up to the Arbor for the 9:30 show of "Sex is Comedy." I went to Mickey D's and got a cheeseburger and a Diet Coke because I figured it would be easy to chew. It's hard to eat salads when you have a toothache. I also got some gas since I was almost on empty and I knew I would need a couple gallons in the tank to get up north.

I drove by the front of the Paramount while looking for a parking space and noticed that the lines for "Saw" weren't all that long but there was quite a few people in the line to buy a single ticket. I found a spot and walked to the Hideout. The door to the screening room was closed and no one was about. I was a little early and since the place was nearly empty, I grabbed a chair near the coffeebar and looked at the program. There were shorts screening before "The Street," so I assumed that was still going on. I hadn't checked my voicemail for a while, so I did that. Nothing interesting there.

I noticed that they opened the door to the theaters as I was writing some notes. I looked up and saw Gus, the young, short film filmmaker that Web introduced me to on Friday and waved. After a bit I went into the theater and said hello to him. Since I knew he was from out of town and it was Sunday night, I asked him when he was going home. He said he had a flight out the next morning. I asked him where he was from and he told me he lived in Philadelphia.

I went over to the other side of the theater, since Gus didn't ask me to sit with him (didn't want to scare the little straight boy too much). After a few minutes I heard someone say "Lodge" and looked over and Gus motioned me to come over to him. He gave me an invite to the closing night film. He had been to see "Steamboy" at the Paramount and they had given them out after the show. I thought this was odd since a badge will get you into the film, but accepted the pass since I thought maybe a friend could use it or something.

I had been trying to find Gus' film in the program so I asked him the name of it and he said, "Please Do," which I thought was a pleasant enough name for a short. I asked him if he happened to have a copy of it and he gave me a DVD that was in a case with a handwritten note on the outside which said "The Gus Sacks Anthology." Gus, who I believe is 16, told me he had been making films since he was nine. I gave Gus a Filethirteen pin and told him, "It's fashionable and functional!" Gus gave me one of his cards. He seems like such a nice guy but a little too quiet. I really wish I could have gotten to know him a bit better.

I went back to my seat and in a few minutes a volunteer who introduced himself as Doug (at least he introduced himself) did the standard spiel and mentioned that we were going to see a short called "The Flood." That's when I snapped that Ryan Williams' film was showing before this feature. But when the lights dimmed and the film began, it wasn't "The Flood" that screened but Ryan's short from last year "Confine." I guess the projectionist cued up the wrong film. What a bummer.

After the film Gus and I walked to the lobby and Gus got a ballot. I could tell he wasn't impressed with the feature even though I thought it was okay. He said, "I'm going to give it a one and a half." To which I replied, "You're cruel; I like that."

Gus said that he had wanted to go see "The Hot Shoe" but that the busses hadn't seemed to be running. I told him that I didn't think they ran after Saturday night. I told him I was going up to the Arbor to see "Sex is Comedy" and he was welcome to tag along but he said he was tired and was probably going to go back to the hotel. I hoped he didn't think I had any ulterior motives with my offer. I would have just enjoyed his company for a little while. We said our goodbyes outside the Hideout and Gus shook my hand. He had nice, soft hands and a firm handshake, a very mature young man and an interesting person. It was really nice to meet him.

I drove up to the Arbor and hung out in the lobby waiting for the theater to open up. There's this one very cute usher at the Arbor who looks like he might be from Eastern Europe but proves himself to be an all American boy when he opens his mouth. He was talking to some other workers at the concession stand. I went to the bathroom and went into a stall to pee (so I could hang my bag full of paper, camera, pens, buttons, and the film program on the hook.) Cute Eastern Europe Block Boy came in and in the gap in the door, I could see his reflection in the mirror as he stood at the urinal. I couldn't help but admire his ass. When he turned around and spent a long time buckling his belt, it was all I could do not to leer. Thankfully, I don't think he noticed me in there. The Arbor is an art film house so I'm sure the cute, young male employees there are used to getting hit on by gay guys.

I waited in the lobby a bit longer. There's this older, long- haired, weird guy who goes to almost every screening in Austin and is always at the film festivals. He is also an extra sometimes and he was in a scene in Courtney Davis' "My Name is Buttons." He was telling someone else about the film "Z Channel" and I wished I had gotten a chance to see it. It sounded interesting.

I went into the theater and there were about 20 people in there waiting for the film. No one had cleaned between the shows and there was leftover cups, candy wrappers and popcorn kernels everywhere. Gross.

After the film was over, I drove home and watched the episode of "Jack and Bobby" that I had taped and tried to get some sleep. Tomorrow was Monday and I had to be back at my day job.

Lodger@AFF2004