Gay Guy Independence Day: Created Equal

Straight Guy,

There is a huge park in the city where we live. Not a manicured, designed urban park, but a forest preserve, really. The park has picnic areas and a horse riding center, but mostly has miles of trails and relative quiet. I love hiking there --once I get away from a major trail, I can go well over an hour without seeing anyone else, and so the city fades away.

I did a little Independence Day hike to take advantage of the cool leafy shade. On the trail out, I passed a little clearing where -- a dozen or so yards off the trail -- two men, probably in their 20s, were having a little picnic, lying next to each other, and talking. I wondered if they were gay and guessed that they probably were: Two men, one blanket, wicker picnic basket.

Coming back on the same trail, I passed them again. This time, one guy had his head in his friends lap, the friend absent-mindedly stroking his air. A lovely little moment in time, like a sweet old photograph.

The moment made me think about the holiday and the Declaration of Independence. "All men are created equal" has not worked out so well for women, racial minorities, social classes, but it's still an ideal to work toward achieving.

A week ago, I went to the wedding of two men, a marriage fully protected by the laws of their state: all men are created equal. The two young men having a picnic even a conservative could find charming: unalienable rights including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

--Gay Guy

7 comments:

Oddyoddyo13 said...

Its so amazing to hear that-that we are capable of finally accepting what Thomas Jefferson wrote about all men being equal. Great post GG. :)

Anonymous said...

2 men, 1 blanket, picnic basket. . . . you have no shame, Gay GG, no shame at all.

Straight Guy said...

Only you, GG, could take a left at Popeye's Chicken and end up in a scene from Brideshead Revisited.

More power to those guys. Is PDA really the final frontier in the road to acceptance? Because I see unattractive heteros making out all the time and we need to move stopping that to the top of the list.

I will say that the wicker picnic basket has been, and always will be, a pain in the ass. And if it has little leather straps and snaps to hold place settings and silverware? Totally gay.

BosGuy said...

I'm not one for picnics prefering someone to come over and take my order, bring my food and clear it away, but they always do sound so romantic. In Boston you can order pizza and have it delivered to where you are sitting in the park....now that's a picnic!

Anonymous said...

That was a beautiful read, i wish i had moments like that more often :)

kathryn said...

I totally adore your visual perspective on things, GG. I found myself sighing with a little "awwww..." as I read. It sounds like two people who care deeply...sharing a tender moment. How could that not elicit an "awww"?

I do believe the last time I experienced a moment like that may have been when I was five and mom was lovingly stroking my hair.

And hell, it beats that weird circus-scene you came across that time you went hiking last year...remember? 'Cause I sure do!

Gay Guy said...

Kathryn:
Yes, it was awwwww-inspiring. It was very sweet to see. You are right, that park has provided everything from this past weekend's Brideshead Revisited moment to last year's Fellini-esque moment.

BosGuy:
Agreed. Picnics can be over-rated. Even if you pick up all the food at the deli. It would take GPS tracking to get food into our park!

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