As I slouched over a cup of coffee this morning I started reading The USA Today on my iPhone. It has not been a first choice paper for me since my teenage years when I would try to beat my brothers to the sports page. They had the best statistics in that paper, especially their football breakdown. News wise, eh, I am sure they are not much worse than the rest, but when everything is so slanted one teeter the wrong way and any credibility goes tottering with me.
There was a story about the one year Anniversary of Gay Marriage being legalized in New York State. Apparently there are some Conservative groups that are working hard to repeal the law. They claim sessions leading up to the passing of the bill were inappropriately held in private. They claim the matter should be put to a vote as a proposition for the voters of New York to decide.
I could go on my own diatribe on why I believe this law is just and right, how I had friends who were gay but perhaps I will just share an anecdote of when I fully understood that love was always love no matter who it was between.
I worked at a local sub shop for many years. My last semester of college- fall 2003- I decided to take the semester off from working the overnight shift 4-5 night a week to just doing 4 classes. The thought was I could get more done in those classes and just get a nice break from my crazy schedule.
The last night I worked was a Wednesday. It was around 2-3 AM and I was working with Josh, Tony and another person whose name I don’t remember. Josh and I were smoking cigarettes near the back swinging door of the establishment, talking when we heard Tony start yelling.
We came through the doors and Tony was struggling with a man who was trying to take the cash register. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the man had raked Tony across the ribs with a knife already.
As they struggled Josh and I made our way through the side door to the dining room, hoping to stop the guy with the register. Depending on your point of view it is either good or a pity that both Josh and I were not much for fighting- we moved right past the Louisville Slugger that was kept near the door.
Josh and I made it through the door as the man won the wrestling contest with Tony. He headed for the door. Tony jumped the counter in front of Josh and I. Two good Samaritans tackled the guy as he went out the front door. One was sliced in the neck for his effort. The man dropped the money drawer when he was tackled.
Tony jumped on the guys back- the guy stabbed Tony in the hip/buttock. Tony fell off. I took a step forward, but feinted back when either good sense or recognition of having no weapon of my own took over. He ran after swiping the knife in my direction a couple times.
I went to the hospital with Tony. We called his girlfriend. I waited with Tony until Erin showed up. I exited the room where they were keeping Tony taking one last glance over my shoulder. Erin was holding his hand,gently stroking the backside of it.
Erin, or Aaron or whatever his original name may be is transgendered. We had all made jokes about it before at work, though I didn’t often take part. On one of the few occasions I did- the term he/she was used- Erin was at the counter, having just walked in while my back was turned.. I deserved every bit of shame I felt at that moment.
Seeing them looking at each other as Tony lay there being prepped for stitches- thankfully all the injuries were minor, the good Samaritan was fine as well, though extremely lucky the swipe with the knife missed his artery and vein- I knew that whatever preconceived notions I had about what love was or wasn’t needed some tuning.
Fight some other fight oh bastions of Conservative agenda. Let love be love.
SITM 