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grown comfortable with.
My senior year was one of the greatest times
in my life. I had gone from a poor, scared closeted
boy to a out-and-about, fabulous gay guy. As the
school year was coming to an end, my friend Corinne
asked me who I was taking to the high
school prom. I was like, “Gurl, I
don’t even know!” It was then that
she suggested I take my boyfriend,
Rodrick.
Taking my boyfriend to the
prom had not even crossed my mind.
I mean, I knew that I was out to a
large portion of the school, but how
would it look for me to take my
boyfriend to the prom of a conserva
tive, largely Republican high school?
Well, as the days passed, I decided
that I would be taking Rodrick.
Rodrick and I attended a pre-
prom meal at Grady’s in Greensboro
with a group of friends, and then
made our way to the prom. We
danced and had a fabulous time.
When I returned to school the follow
ing Monday, I received no harassing comments or
anything. To my surprise, my taking
a guy to the prom caused as little
npset as if the cafeteria workers had
been serving chicken freakin’
nuggets or something. It was most
excellent.
Since the prom, Rodrick and
1 have stayed together. Minus a small
2 month separation, we have been
together, to this day, going on 10
months and all is well.
Well, I know that this entire
article probably sounded like one of
those Noxema commercials gone ter
ribly awry, but that’s ok, because it
was still fabulous. I would just like
to take this moment to tell all the
closeted people out there that are too scared to tell
their parents/friends, etc. of their sexuality — DO
IT! I was scared for the longest time, but my parents
and friends all took it rather well. My mom, in fact,
has met my boyfriend on many occassions... can you
believe it... she approves!
(End of Article)
“Day of the Dove”
—Sterling Garmon
(continued)
Upon his perch, the dove is held.
His claws around are tightly curled-
They strain to hold himself in place,
A chain that holds him to the world.
His neck is streched towards the sky-
In his eyes only earth appears;
Above the world in consciousness
Apart from it in fear.
He does not breathe the air around
He only holds it inside him.
He does not feel it as it flows
Across his body and within.
But when a ghostly chilling wind
Comes seeping through the air
to him-
It creeps within him in the night
And spreads throughout his bones;
An unseen hand takes
hold of his.
These are pictures of Rodrick
and me after the prom.
u
Releasing the bar held inside-
An external force pulled from
within
And then his eyes are opened
wide-
The essence intertwined between
He feels them all within himself
And knows the perch is not a cage.
Unto himself he was succumbed;
As he alights upon the wing
He dives toward etemity-
The day has come
The dove is free.
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