"Sitting alone with my coffee at the French Market Place counter, I suddenly felt tags of friendship and offers to "come join us" as a wave of 12-steppers poured through the doors, laughing, jostling, weaving like schools of curious fish enjoying the swim. I felt too embarrassed, too shell-shocked to respond. And then Craig Hume, a fellow journalist, asked in his always polite way if I needed anything."
"I felt too embarrassed, too shell-shocked to respond. And then Craig Hume, a fellow journalist, asked in his always polite way if I needed anything. He had an extra bedroom. Craig saved my life that day. He gave me the space, time and kindness to fall apart and find my new footing. Out of the blue, WeHo City Councilmember John Heilman asked me to cohost a cable show called Out & About: Lesbian and Gay West Hollywood for their new city channel."
"I woke up when my childhood friend Chris Schott called. For decades his father was an Air Force major general to my father's colonel. His parents were my godparents and everyone - except us - thought we'd get married one day. We chuckled when we found out we were both gay. But Chris called now because he was afraid. He was a public administrator in Santa Barbara and deeply ashamed that he was closeted in a bad gay domestic violence relationship -and he had AIDS."
Return to West Hollywood in late 1988 followed the end of a two-year affair, leaving the narrator relieved of Beverly Hills expectations but effectively homeless. While sitting at the French Market Place, a wave of 12-steppers provoked embarrassment until journalist Craig Hume offered an extra bedroom. Craig provided space, time, and kindness that allowed recovery and new footing. West Hollywood councilmember John Heilman invited cohosting a city cable show, but the narrator remained closeted, unaware of a "glass closet." Childhood friend Chris Schott revealed he was gay, in an abusive closeted relationship, had AIDS, and later was hospitalized in critical condition.
Read at Advocate.com
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