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Donald and I wanted to go out for dinner. I suggested
Sunnyvale Town Center for several reasons. Donald wanted to see the
Kodak enlarging machine at the one hour photo, I wanted to see if a
book I had ordered was in. We had some great Chinese food at
Potsticker House, then we walked over to the Mall proper. Donald had
a Queer Nation shirt on, I was wearing my Adam and Steve shirt. I
was hoping we would get some reactions.
As we entered the mall I pointed out a store to Donald,
Shirtique. One of those stores with lots of blank shirts they will
customize for you with decals or letters or such.
"Oh look Donald, I was thinking of getting a shirt made
there, something like 'Radical Queer'."
"Let's go have a look"
A young girl was busy behind the counter, she greeted us
pleasantly as we began to browse. I saw a clearance rack, so I had
to go look. I'm gay, therefore I shop. I looked up and this
pleasant looking young clerk was looking right at me.
"Oh, hey, I really like your shirt"
She was talking to me, about my gay shirt, the one with
Adam and Steve holding hands. I was startled for a second, then it
hit me, she was acknowledging that I was gay and being friendly
about it. I let myself smile, I wanted to anyway, she was sweet.
I thanked her as warmly as I could.
"Where did you get that ? I hope you don't mind my asking"
She was meek, a soft voice, beautiful smile, a charming girl.
"Oh, I got it at the Gay Pride Celebration in San Jose this
past June. You're a very openminded person, aren't you ?"
She was reaching out to us, I felt it now, she wanted to
talk to Donald and I. I looked over at Donald, a few racks away,
he raised his eyebrows, he caught it too. Something was happening
here.
Donald calls it 'doing an action', it's a holdover from his
Queer Nation days. We dress up in clothes that proclaim our gayness
and go out in public to encounter people as openly gay men. I also
had a sticker on my shirt, Donald makes them, that said "Queers Bash
Back". I mean it.
She starts to open up to us, she tells us that she had gone
to a Prom with a friend of hers who is gay, a guy, she had a great
time. She tells us a lot of his gay friends were there, that she
really enjoyed their company. But this is not enough, Donald and I
were, of course, encouraging her, "Good for you", "Alright!" things
of that sort, she continued. She told us how the Prom she went to
with this gay friend was more fun than the one her boyfriend took
her to.
If it had all stopped here it would have been one of the
best 'actions' Donald and I ever had. This girl who never saw us
before was opening up to us just because of our shirts, but it went
on. I spoke to her again.
"You know I run a gay Bulletin Board here in Sunnyvale,
does your friend have a computer ?"
"Oh yes, his family is rich, they have everything."
I gave her the number, then she added something else.
"I have feelings myself, I mean about other girls, I'm
attracted to them."
Donald spoke up...
"And you're not ashamed to admit it are you"
I was ready to fall on the floor by now. This girl was
fantastic. So free and open and proud of herself, yet modest and
pleasant and friendly as well. I was tremendously impressed, so was
Donald. She told us her name, and her gay friend's name, and all
about how she felt about being herself.
Donald and I picked out a shirt for me, and she helped us
design it. It says "Queer Sysop" in neon pink and green on a sort
of a streaked blue shirt that resembles a tie-dye. She made a sale
and Donald and I made a new friend. I'll be going back to the Mall
to look in on her again and see how she is doing. She's only 18,
still in High School, but this young lady has got it together.
It was just another day, I got another shirt.
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