Sequel: Memoirs of a Gay Guy : 1000 Things ›
Status: Complete.
Memoirs of a Gay Guy : Till September
Entry : 45
I went to a play with Mom last week. She goes to plays about once a month because she has a subscription to our local theatre company. She usually goes with her best friend, Tracy, but she couldn't make it that night so she asked me to go.
The play was Wednesday night, but she didn't ask me until Monday because she only heard on Sunday that Tracy had to cancel. Then on Tuesday night Mom was in the kitchen, baking all over the place and talking to Tracy over speakerphone. I was headed to the kitchen to ask if I should wear something formal to the play, but stopped when I overheard their conversation.
"Michelle, I can't say sorry enough, but I can't just cancel on my mother-in-law, you know, you've met her," Tracy was saying.
"Oh yes, I know how she is," Mom said. "But really Trace, it's fine, I've found someone else to go with."
"On such short notice?" Tracy asked. "Who?"
"Will."
"Will? As in your son Will? As in you're taking your son Will to the play?"
Mom laughed and said, "Yes, as in all that. I thought he'd enjoy it"
"Ugh, you're so lucky you have a gay son, you can actually be friends with him. All my son ever does is play videogames and speak in grunts," Tracy said.
"Well I'm still sort of getting used to it," Mom told her, then she dropped a metal bowl.
"What are you doing?" Tracy asked.
"Baking," Mom answered.
"Oh Lord."
"Hey! Tommy said he loved my brownies the last time I made 'em."
"He has to say that, he's your son. But enough about him," Tracy pressed on, "has Will brought home any boys yet?"
Mom sighed exasperatedly, "No Trace, he hasn't. And I would hope he'd have enough courtesy to give us some notice if he did. But we're going out for dinner before the play, so maybe I can talk to him about that."
"Well good luck. Oh, I've got to go, have fun at the play. Bye!"
And with that, the conversation ended. I should have considered this sooner. I had no idea how my family felt about my being gay, and I had no idea how I could make them more comfortable with it. I mean, showing them an episode of Queer as Folk would probably be too much, but I couldn't just do nothing.
So on Wednesday evening, I initiated the discussion with Mom. "Mom," I said. "How would you feel if I brought a boy home?"
"Oh honey, have you met someone?"
"Well, not really, maybe...no. But I just want to know how you feel about that. How you feel about me." I was trying to be as careful as possible.
Mom sighed. "Oh Will, you don't have to worry about me. I will always love and support you no matter what. But I'm afraid I'm still adjusting to...this. My whole life I was only ever around straight men, so I just really know nothing about gay relationships."
I chuckled, "Well if it's any consolation it's new to me too."
She smiled and we finally found common ground. We had a really great heart-to-heart and were almost late for the play. I'm pretty sure now that I won't have to show her any episodes of Queer as Folk, she'll be just fine. We'll both learn about gay relationships, simultaneously but in our own ways.
The play was Wednesday night, but she didn't ask me until Monday because she only heard on Sunday that Tracy had to cancel. Then on Tuesday night Mom was in the kitchen, baking all over the place and talking to Tracy over speakerphone. I was headed to the kitchen to ask if I should wear something formal to the play, but stopped when I overheard their conversation.
"Michelle, I can't say sorry enough, but I can't just cancel on my mother-in-law, you know, you've met her," Tracy was saying.
"Oh yes, I know how she is," Mom said. "But really Trace, it's fine, I've found someone else to go with."
"On such short notice?" Tracy asked. "Who?"
"Will."
"Will? As in your son Will? As in you're taking your son Will to the play?"
Mom laughed and said, "Yes, as in all that. I thought he'd enjoy it"
"Ugh, you're so lucky you have a gay son, you can actually be friends with him. All my son ever does is play videogames and speak in grunts," Tracy said.
"Well I'm still sort of getting used to it," Mom told her, then she dropped a metal bowl.
"What are you doing?" Tracy asked.
"Baking," Mom answered.
"Oh Lord."
"Hey! Tommy said he loved my brownies the last time I made 'em."
"He has to say that, he's your son. But enough about him," Tracy pressed on, "has Will brought home any boys yet?"
Mom sighed exasperatedly, "No Trace, he hasn't. And I would hope he'd have enough courtesy to give us some notice if he did. But we're going out for dinner before the play, so maybe I can talk to him about that."
"Well good luck. Oh, I've got to go, have fun at the play. Bye!"
And with that, the conversation ended. I should have considered this sooner. I had no idea how my family felt about my being gay, and I had no idea how I could make them more comfortable with it. I mean, showing them an episode of Queer as Folk would probably be too much, but I couldn't just do nothing.
So on Wednesday evening, I initiated the discussion with Mom. "Mom," I said. "How would you feel if I brought a boy home?"
"Oh honey, have you met someone?"
"Well, not really, maybe...no. But I just want to know how you feel about that. How you feel about me." I was trying to be as careful as possible.
Mom sighed. "Oh Will, you don't have to worry about me. I will always love and support you no matter what. But I'm afraid I'm still adjusting to...this. My whole life I was only ever around straight men, so I just really know nothing about gay relationships."
I chuckled, "Well if it's any consolation it's new to me too."
She smiled and we finally found common ground. We had a really great heart-to-heart and were almost late for the play. I'm pretty sure now that I won't have to show her any episodes of Queer as Folk, she'll be just fine. We'll both learn about gay relationships, simultaneously but in our own ways.
♠ ♠ ♠
Shit man! 3 in one day? It's like one of those informercials that say 'But wait, there's more!' Except there really isn't more. Not tonight anyways. But I do want to finish the story before August, and there's only 5 entries left so...stick around. :)