Farewells to the Closet
Reflections on an Outreach
November’s strong, brisk winds cut
through my jacket. I pulled my arms
closer for warmth and trudged on through
the leaves covering the walkways, making
my way across campus for an appointment—
an appointment I did not want to keep.
The day had not been going well. It
started when I awoke alone on that very
chilly morning in my big double bed, an
all too constant reminder that I had not
yet found a lover to share it or my life,
and continued with a nagging, headache and
a scratch throat, which warned me a cold
was about to pay me a visit. Now I was on
ray way to talk to a Health Education class
about the one thing that made me different
from them: my attraction to men.
Yes, I was going to talk to a class
about homosexuality, and I was scared.
This was my very first Outreach, and I was
going to do it alone. How did I get trap
ped into doing this. Why hadn't anyone
else agreed to come along with me? Was I
really ready to come out to a group of
complete, perhaps hostile, strangers?
After all, what did I know about being
gay? It was only a short five months
before that I had finally begun to come
out of the closet. I could still count
the number of guys T.^had been with on one
hand. There was still so much I had to
learn about being gay! Yet, here I was,
suddenly being put in the position of try
ing to explain just who I was, and that
unexplainable question, why?
I questioned my commitment to the CGA.
Only a few weeks before, I had reluctantly
agreed to serve as treasurer for the
organization, and that responsibility was
already taking more of my time than I
really wanted to give. Now, here I was
interrupting my afternoon with yet another
CGA responsibility.
I wanted to turn around and go back
home to watch "Guiding Light." Yet, my
feet kept moving forward. Despite my many
other faults, I do keep my word. I had
promised to do this Outreach, so I kept on
going.
All too quickly, I reached my destina
tion. Panic struck. There was still time
to turn around and leave. But, somehow, I
summoned my courage, took a deep breath,
and said, "Oh help," just as Maria in "The
Sound of Music." I grabbed the doorknob,
turned it firmly, pushed the door open,
and entered the classroom.
(see OUTREACH on page 6)
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The Duke University Union Performing Arts Committee
presents
CHARVEY FIERSTEIXS
CH
Tony Award Winner: Best Play 1983
Monday and Tuesday, December 3 & 4, 1984
8:15 pm
Page Auditorium Duke University
Durham, North Carolina
•'Hilarious. Dazzling ami Unabashedly «The Best New American Play "
Entertainingr — Newsweek — The New York Times
Tickets: $18, $16, $13
For ticl«t information and purchases, write or call Page Auditorium Box Office, Box KM Duke Station. Durham NC 27706
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