. If you’ll do this for my Mom, I’ll make you my Assistant Youth Director and my Assistant Surrogate at Pinewood Street Tabernacle. I’ll even ha...e that talk with your Mom to see if there’s anything we can do for her while she and your dad are having problems.”“Eddie, you’re the best friend ever to Lila and me. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you or your family. I’d love to join you at the Tabernacle and work with all the girls and boys there ... About Mom and Dad, I’m not sure we can help. I don't know why I did that. I was just mad. Please, please know that. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it."She didn't answer him, crying and still angry, but knowing deep down that she would forgive him. She loved him too much not to."I love you, I'm sorry I ever thought you cheated on me. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that." You think I'm a slut," she repeated in a whisper."I don't! Jen, I don't! I love you, more than anything. I was just mad. Please?" I love you Ryan," she said, still. While he was with me, he was monogamous. Perhaps he’s always been in committed relationships with men who felt no compulsion to tell the world. I’m fairly certain that I wasn’t an experiment. He was far too assured in our relationship for me to believe he’d never been with another man. But for that period of fidelity with him, I’ve lived the stereotype, engaging in anonymous bathhouse sex, being every inch the fag that middle America fears. I’ve watched friends and lovers die by the hundreds. I. I had volunteered to work overtime during some weeks. On that particular night, I had stayed later than planned and had missed the last bus. Rather than catch a taxi, I decided to walk the half mile to my home and save some time instead of waiting. It was a few minutes after midnight and the streets were abandoned except for a few people here and there. The warm breeze on this lovely spring evening stroked my legs beneath the summer dress I was wearing. I was thinking about my car staying at.