[Memories] Not exciting whatsoever
I suppose it's nice to not do anything, for a change, as that's just I've done in my three days off for the Fourth of July. Carl ended up having to work last night and tonight (I'm sure there was more than enough people in Peoria country that'd managed to blow their appendages off!), so there were no fireworks or outings for either of us. It's, in fact, been a number of years since I've been to an Independence Day outing -- you'd have to go back to when Carl and I were first dating for that.
It was five or six years ago, and Carl and I went to Streator's Fourth of July fireworks, which were touted as the biggest in the area. It was also what the county had spent the most money on, and it showed -- both in the fireworks and the lack of everything else in the area. :: laugh :: Carl has a number of friends and aquaintances in Streator, and one woman he knew had a younger daughter who saw Carl and I cuddle. The girl couldn't've been more than seven, and said, "You're really good friends!"
I didn't know what to say in response. "... yep. Yep, we are. He's my best friend."
"Sometimes I like to hold my best friend," she responded.
I admit, I'm a bit awkward with children and explaining my relationship. No, there's no shame that I have as to the fact that I'm with Carl, but when it comes to children? That aren't mine? What do you say? I didhn't want to get anyone in hot water -- Lord knows if Carl had asked about gay themes at 7 his dad would have raised holy hell -- so yeah, we're friends. It seems like such a copout, but really, what do you do?
I recently saw the same girl at Ron's wedding, and she's much older, wiser, and there's no question that she understands the nature of our relationship, so I suppose that's a plus. I'm amazed she even recognized me, and she's maturing into a beautiful woman. I guess I can be glad for that -- if she thinks of gay couples, or hears all the "gay marriage" rhetoric, she can say, "... but what about Uncle Carl and Roger?" That's a good feeling, and certainly is a bit of a counter for the copout feeling I had when I first met her. :: laugh ::
It was five or six years ago, and Carl and I went to Streator's Fourth of July fireworks, which were touted as the biggest in the area. It was also what the county had spent the most money on, and it showed -- both in the fireworks and the lack of everything else in the area. :: laugh :: Carl has a number of friends and aquaintances in Streator, and one woman he knew had a younger daughter who saw Carl and I cuddle. The girl couldn't've been more than seven, and said, "You're really good friends!"
I didn't know what to say in response. "... yep. Yep, we are. He's my best friend."
"Sometimes I like to hold my best friend," she responded.
I admit, I'm a bit awkward with children and explaining my relationship. No, there's no shame that I have as to the fact that I'm with Carl, but when it comes to children? That aren't mine? What do you say? I didhn't want to get anyone in hot water -- Lord knows if Carl had asked about gay themes at 7 his dad would have raised holy hell -- so yeah, we're friends. It seems like such a copout, but really, what do you do?
I recently saw the same girl at Ron's wedding, and she's much older, wiser, and there's no question that she understands the nature of our relationship, so I suppose that's a plus. I'm amazed she even recognized me, and she's maturing into a beautiful woman. I guess I can be glad for that -- if she thinks of gay couples, or hears all the "gay marriage" rhetoric, she can say, "... but what about Uncle Carl and Roger?" That's a good feeling, and certainly is a bit of a counter for the copout feeling I had when I first met her. :: laugh ::