QColumn: A Gay In The Life: A Man For All Seasons

Man For All Seasons
By Steve Prince
“You’ve got mail!” my roommate James said as I walked inside the house from a long day of work.
“Thanks,” I said absent-mindedly. As I walked in my room, I tossed my messenger bag by my door, kicked off my shoes, and moaned while reaching for the envelope on top of my dresser. With a weary thud, my body landed on my bed, pillow cradling my head. I sighed and looked at the back of the envelope.
The return address read, “Chad Ryan.”
Ah, Chad Ryan—it had been a while…
Chad Ryan was a friend I’d made while volunteering for AIDS Project Los Angeles. I provided peer support for teens diagnosed with HIV. At first, I felt nervous about volunteering; I wasn’t a teen nor was I HIV-positive. Thankfully, Chad Ryan mentored me through the process. In fact, he mentored and trained all of the peer volunteers and was a hell of a guy and handsome to boot.
I’d stopped volunteering for AIDS Project Los Angeles two years ago and Chad left the organization around that time as well. But since that time we’d remained friends, often chatting on Facebook, saying we’d get together but never getting our schedules to match.
I turned on my bedside lamp as the afternoon sun leaked through my bedroom windows. I opened the envelope, which read in whimsical letters:

Wow. I wasn’t surprised that Chad Ryan was having a birthday party, but I was more surprised that he’d sent me an actual invitation. I mean it was kinda… well… gay.
Chad Ryan was one of those gay guys who didn’t act stereotypically gay. He was a total fraternity-type guy, and would always interject a “dude” or “bro” into the conversation.
Not that I believe in stereotyping. I’ve met LOTS of gay guys and the many types of gat men no longer surprise me. We queers really do come in a variety pack that defies stigmatization. Still, it was different with Chad. With Chad you almost weren’t sure if you were getting to know the real Chad, or if you were getting to know the perception he wanted to embody. He always seemed trying to “man up.”
With these thoughts fresh in my mind, receiving a somewhat “girly” invitation from my very “masculine” friend piqued my curiosity. I checked the date; I was free. I was totally going to this shindig.
Two weeks later, I walked into Maggiano’s and instantly spotted Chad’s party group. Fifteen gay men and three women circled the bar. As Chad saw me, he broke from the group and raised his arms to hug me.
“What’s up, dude?” he said smiling broadly.
Suddenly, I realized I was wearing a pink polo shirt.
“Hey sugar!” I replied patting him tightly. We broke apart. “You look good!” I smiled. “Not a day over thirty-one.”
Chad grinned, “I knew I invited you for a reason.”

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