I Moved to San Francisco From Throughout the Nation

I arrived in San Francisco in late June 2020. Covid-19 by that time had resulted in the country and much of the world being completely closed. I had the option to stay in Seattle until the situation stabilized, but when I saw rents dropping across the area, I wanted to take advantage of it. (I also wanted to start my new life sooner rather than later.)

I knew that in the middle of a pandemic I would face challenges of moving to a new place as I don’t know many people in the area or in the area itself. But this immersion into the unknown was kind of exciting, with a touch of horror – something that turned on the masochistic part of me.

Except for a handful of foreign friends who came to visit to acclimate me, I was completely alone now.

Being kind of a gay mecca, I was thrilled with the dating prospects again. A couple of weeks before moving, I downloaded the usual suspects, spiced up my profiles, uploaded my tastiest photos, and moved my location to San Francisco.

If anything, I was hoping to get in touch with some guys in the area who might become friends. As I got older and with every move, it became more and more difficult for me to penetrate into a social environment. Covid-19, as I suspected and turned out to be the reality, would only make it worse.

Growing up queer in the Midwest and feeling a little out of place, I heard that San Francisco was kind of a gay mecca.

My first few weeks in San Francisco were pleasant, if strange.

When I wasn’t busy with work, I would spend a lot of time with a guy I started chatting with before moving downstairs. He showed me the neighborhoods, the restaurants that were worth checking out (that had al fresco or take out), and other sights and sounds in the area. I fell in love with San Francisco quickly, even though the city is only a fraction of its usual speed.

Unfortunately, the time with this guy ended as quickly as it began. I think we were both a little bit desperate for human connection after being isolated, so we hurried and then it fizzled out. Except for a handful of foreign friends who came to visit to acclimate me, I was completely alone now.