The Treehouse

 

The Treehouse

I was never gay.  As children, in our treehouse, I touched Tommy and he touched me, but it was just for a second, we didn’t like it, and we never did it again.  All the other boys were doing it.  It meant nothing.  I wasn’t gay. 

Growing up, I did the straightest things I could think of, like football and wood shop.  Tommy did sissy things like playing clarinet.  I told him that clarinet was almost as gay as flute.  He said I was more gay because I showered with jocks.  After games, I went to school dances with pretty girls while Tommy met up with his drama club pals. 

After graduation, I was a construction foreman and Tommy was a florist.  We grew apart and lost track of each other.

At our tenth reunion, Tommy told me about his wife Lola and their two sons.  I told him about my partner Chad and our plans to adopt.  I asked him if he had any advice about raising boys.  He said one thing: No treehouses.