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Gay Days

Dr. (Ms) Michael S. Whitt

    Manda positioned the pictures of herself and the other five cheerleaders on the yearbook lay out pages. She tilted her head to the left and then to the right. She pursed her lips; it wasn’t quite right. As the freshman editorial assistant, who was in line to be the editor her senior year, she wanted it to be as nearly perfect as possible. A frown puckered her brow. She shifted the pictures around a bit and repositioned the main caption a little further down the page.
    A noise made her look up. Fern rushed into the yearbook room. Fern Ford was a junior and the assistant editor of the yearbook. She would be the editor next year when Amanda was a sophomore in charge of all ordering of pictures and other business aspects of the school annual.
    “Hi Fern, what’s happening?” Manda asked. She noticed that Fern looked pale and upset.
    “Oh Manda, you’re not going to believe what happened this morning in the band building,” Fern said breathlessly. “It’s awesome, girlfriend. Ray was caught with Gerald in a practice room.”
    Wrinkling her brow and shrugging her shoulders Manda asked, “So what’s the big deal? Ray’s training Gerald to take over as drum major the year after next.”
    “No! No! Manda, you don’t get it. They were hugging and kissing.”
    “Who caught them?”
    “The Band Director.
    “It would have to be Mr. Shaw. He’s the most rigid teacher I’ve ever known. I’ll bet the busy bodies and goody two shoes gossipers are wagging their tongues all over school. Before long they’ll be talking about it all over this narrow minded town. Good ole Lake Haven, bigoted little citrus town. Poor Ray.” Tears glistened in Amanda’s eyes.
    “I’m with you,” Fern agreed. “By the way, they’ve both been suspended.”
    “I hope that doesn’t mean Ray will lose his position as the drum major. I mean I’d be happy for you to have it, but. . . “
    “Oh Manda, I wouldn’t want it under these conditions. I’m happy being the head majorette.”
    “Fern, we have our work cut out for us. We’ve got to try to reform public opinion in this mean little town, which is barely out of village status. We’re nearly in the middle of the 20th Century and its high time the bigots let go of their prejudices toward gays and lesbians.”
    “You’re right and unfortunately, we have few allies in school or out. I’ll do what I can on both fronts. I know you’ll do the same. I need to get back to class.”
    “Okay. I’ll see you after school.”
    In a few minutes the bell rang for fourth period. Manda locked the yearbook room door and headed for Algebra I. When she arrived two of the seven boys who sat around her were gossiping about Ray.
    “Did you know that Langford dude was a queer?” Paul asked Jimmy.
    “Well, no man, not exactly, but I always thought there was something weird about him,” Jimmy replied.
    Manda lit into Paul and Jimmy with fire in her eyes, “Listen you gossipy twerps; Ray is no ‘queer.’ He may have different tastes than you all, but he’s attracted to girls too.”
    “Ah, er, um ahem,” Paul said as he was temporarily reduced to a sort of incoherent non-speech. Paul finally stammered in regular speech “H-H-How d-do you k-know?”
    For a moment Manda hesitated. Then she threw caution to the winds and said, “I know because we rode together in the back seat of Joe Steven’s car to an after church social. I was just finishing the seventh grade. He came on to me extremely strong. You wouldn’t believe it. He grabbed me and started French kissing me before I knew what was happening. I had to scratch his hands with my fingernails to make him stop putting them on me where I didn’t want them.”
    Paul and Jimmy were speechless, but there was a dedicated gossiper to take their places. Susie said “Well, maybe Ray has changed a lot recently. Maybe he goes for both sexes now. Now that’s even queerer.” Mumbles of agreement came from everyone in the vicinity, except Lloyd.
    “Nice try, Manda,” Lloyd said to her as he squeezed her fair arm with his coffee colored hand, “it’s difficult to convince close-minded bigots.”
    Lloyd, you’d better watch who you are calling what,” Susie whined.
    “Oh shut up, you gossip freak,” Manda said sharply. “We need a Chapter of Gossips Anonymous in Lake Haven, and you should be its charter member, Susie.”
    “Class!” Ms. Williams announced. “its time to settle down and work algebra problems,”
    “Thanks Lloyd,” Manda whispered to her friend and squeezed his arm in turn. “Your support is appreciated.”
    “I’m happy to give it,” Lloyd whispered back, “I hate homophobia. It’s related to both racism and sexism. They all sort of feed off each other.”
    “Hey Manda,” Carlos called to her from across the aisle. “Can you help me with this problem?”
    “Sure Carlos,” Manda said. After she explained to Carlos the way to work the problems assigned for the day, she whispered to Lloyd, “Hey listen, I think I need to change my approach if I’m going to help Ray.”
    Yes,” Lloyd agreed, “Do you have any ideas?”
    “Okay, I think I’ve come up with some. We live in a democracy of sorts. This democracy is supposed to support everyone’s right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness regardless of race, color, and creed. Gays are included in most situations and should be in all of them, including the one here. “Yes, and in the past few decades many good laws and court decisions have been written in favor of gays.”
    “Right and I need to learn the details of that. Anyway, the bigots all claim to be Christians, and there are some good messages in the Bible which go along with the democratic creed. Among them are that only those free of sin should condemn and judge others. Now I don’t believe being gay or lesbian is a sin any more than having blue eyes is. However the bigots do believe this is sinful, but most of them realize they are not perfect. It all kind of boils down to the moral equality of all humans when basic rights are concerned. The government’s aspect of this is the constitutional guarantee that one is innocent until proven guilty beyond a doubt.”
    “That’s good, Manda, and that’s the approach all of us should take who support Ray and Gerald. They don’t deserve any worse punishment than if they had been a boy and a girl caught doing the same things. They had all of their clothes on. I’m sure of that. They were locked in a tight embrace on a bench in the practice room. That wouldn’t merit any more than a severe reprimand if it had been a male and a female.”
    “That’s right on target,” Manda replied. “And now I feel as if I’m on solid ground, and thanks to you, I have a pretty clear picture of what happened.”
    When the bell rang for Amanda’s lunch period, she walked past Susie and whispered, “Hey Susie, only if you are without sin should you cast stones at my friend Ray, as Jesus Christ said.”
    “Huh? What’s that?” Susie asked.
    “I think you heard me,” Manda replied.
    “Well, Jesus condemned queers,” Susie countered.
    “No, he didn’t,” Manda disagreed. “Show me in your Bible where he said any such thing. Also, the laws in the U. S. don’t condemn them any more either. Think about what your Bible actually says.” She then picked up her pace to get to the lunchroom.
    After basketball practice Manda and Fern walked up town together to get soft drinks. They went to a small restaurant attached to the town’s only drug store. Manda slid in a booth. Fern sat across from her. As they sipped their sodas, they heard the store’s short pudgy owner, Mr. Snelling, talking to Mr. Nutt, a local realtor whose tall scrawny form hovered over the other man. The two men were standing a few feet away near the cash register.
    “Isn’t that awful about that drum major boy and the younger one?” Mr. Snelling asked.
    “Yeah. That older kid needs to be kicked out of school.” Manda frowned at them. “Who are you to judge this young man? He’s different, but he deserves the same consideration and rights as any other human being.”
    “He’s a good person and deserves no more than a scolding,” Fern added.
    The men looked at the girls. At first they were too startled to speak. Then the Mr. Snelling sputtered, “It’s, it’s uh, uh, not normal for boys to be attracted to boys.”
    “That’s true,” agreed Mr. Nutt. “Are you two involved in some kind of crazy radical stuff?”
    “We aren’t crazy,” Amanda replied. “That’s for sure, and if radical means being opposed to bigotry in all forms, then yes, we’re radicals and proud of it. Let’s go, Fern. This is the last time I’m coming in here.”
    That evening Manda called Ray. “Hello,” a female voice answered.
    “Hello, Ms. Langford, this is Manda Blake. May I please speak to Ray?”
    “Now listen if this is another hate call,” the mother said angrily.
    “Oh no ma’am, it’s just the opposite. It’s a call of love and friendship.” Amanda said.
    “Bless you, Manda. I’ll get Ray. I think he’s outside. As she waited, Amanda said out loud, but not such that it could be heard over the phone. “She must be really freaked out; she knows Ray and I are close friends who love each other. And too, a hate caller would have to be dumb beyond belief to give his or her name.
    “Hello,” Ray answered. He sounded drained and sad.

    “Ray, this is Manda. I want you to know I’m doing all I can to counter the bigotry and narrow minded hatefulness of this stupid little town,”
    “Oh Manda, I’m so scared and tired.” He began to weep. Through his sobbing he said, “Thanks for not thinking I’m a bad person.”
    “Ray, I could never think that. Is there anything I can do for you?”
    “You are already doing plenty,” Ray answered. “Manda, you’re such wonderful friend,” Ray answered.
    “Thank you,” Manda said. “We’ll keep on fighting, and we won’t give up.”
    “That sounds good,” Ray replied. “Thanks much for calling.”
    Manda and her allies continued their defense of Ray for the next three days talking with as many students and adults as they could. They circulated a petition Manda was to present to the assistant principal. She was at home the second evening when around 8:15 the phone rang. Amanda answered it only to a voice hiss, “Manda Blake, you queer loving bitch.”
    The next day in algebra class Manda turned to Lloyd, “I got my first hate call last night. It wasn’t fun at all.”
    “It simply goes with the territory when you are brave enough to take stands on issues that are unpopular with rednecks and other bigots, Manda. My parents worked in the civil rights movement in the 1960’s and 70’s. They received many hate calls, including some death threats. As they tell me when things get stressful, ‘Lloyd, keep courage.’”
    “Oh Lloyd! I love that. Will I be that smart when I get to be a junior? I mean that is super cool.”
    Ms. Webb was temporarily out of the room. Lloyd got out of his desk and did a deep bow for Manda.
    She broke into a sunny smile and said, “I’m going to see Mr. Garcia during my lunch period. I’ll present our petition to him. We’ve got fifty signatures on it supporting Ray and Gerald’s equal rights in school with those of male and female couples.”
    “I hope our assistant principal is in a good mood,” Lloyd replied.
    When the bell rang Manda dashed out of the classroom and ran through the main building to the outside. She bounded into the annex where the school cafeteria was housed. After getting her tray and sitting down, she gobbled down her lunch and within six minutes, she was in the main office.
    “You may come in now, Amanda,” Mr. Garcia called from his office door. As she sat, he asked, “What can I do for you today?”
    “I’ve got a petition I want to present to you. It supports Ray and Gerald’s return to school with the same punishments a boy and girl would get under similar circumstances.”
    After looking at the petition for a few seconds he said, “My goodness, you’ve been the busy little social activist, haven’t you? Hee Hee. Let me assure you that we’ll take this under serious consideration.”
    Manda noticed he was shifting back and forth in his chair, and that he would not look her in the eyes. This made Amanda a little more than suspicious of the administrator. She asked, “Would it help if I got more signatures, Mr. Garcia?”
    “Uh no these are sufficient. Is there anything else?”
    “No, except thanks much for seeing me.”
    When school opened the next day, Gerald returned. Manda was upset when Ray did not appear. She called him after basketball practice.
    Ray answered, “Hello,” in a forlorn tone of voice.
    “What’s going on? Gerald’s back at school. Why aren’t you?”
    “Oh God, Manda, I’ve got to leave Lake Haven. They won’t let me go back unless I agree to see a shrink twice a month for the rest of my schooling here. I’d probably be given some of that awful anti-psychotic medicine. Mother’s furious. She’s sending me to Orlando to finish school. I have an aunt and uncle there. I can live with them.”
    “Oh Ray!” Manda burst into tears. “Garcia promised me yesterday that our petition would be given serious consideration. Now I realize he was lying. Their minds were already made up. Let’s at least write to each other.”
    “I’d love that Manda,” After they hung up the phone, Manda recalled her experience in the car with Ray. He acted from pure feelings with no thoughts of harming her. Ray is the kindest person I know. Then she thought I’m sure his encounter with Gerald was the same as the one with me in the sense that it was without evil or meanness. Not only that, Gerald was a willing participant.
    She wondered how many other ‘Rays’ are suffering the same kinds of prejudices. Here a few of us did what we could to change attitudes. We don’t lots of success right now, but we did strengthen our commitment and our dedication to work on gay and other human rights problems. We also now have a community whose members are bonded over these shared concerns. We learned a whole lot about social problems that we never could in a social studies class, and we have come to believe that our efforts can make the world a better place.

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