This story will demonstrate a relatively large cultural gap that separates me (and my immediate family) from the majority of the people in Temple City, California (which, if pressed, I would call my "home town")

It begins about three weeks ago, when I was cast in a musical called "Run, Teddy, Run!" This is a new musical, written by recent graduates of the NYU Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Department, about the failed presidential aspirations of Ted Kennedy. It was just a reading (i.e. not fully staged) at my old school.

I called my mother to tell her that I had the role (she had been in New York for my audition) and I caught her in the teachers' lounge at her school (I'm feeling particularly link-happy today). The conversation went like this:

Dave: Hey, mom! I got that part! I'm playing Ted Kennedy in a musical about Ted Kennedy!
Mom: (announcing to teachers' lounge) David's playing Ted Kennedy in a musical about Ted Kennedy!
Dave: (mock embarrassment) Mom! Don't tell them that or they'll think I'm gay!
Mom: (announcing to teachers' lounge) David says not to tell you or you'll think he's gay!
Dave: Oh, forget it. (mock realization) They all know I'm gay already.
Mom: (laughing) David says you all know he's gay.

Time lapse.

Today, the vice principal approached my mom to let her know that there was some worry among the teachers, that they wanted to be able to commiserate with my mother about her homo son... but the way she announced it so cavalierly... they didn't know how to approach her about it.

The vice principal (who is actually really good friends with my mother) said to the teachers that they had probably been mistaken; that she'd been to my mother's home, that she's seen pictures of me with my (ex-)girlfriend. The teachers said: no, she announced it to everyone in the teachers' lounge. How could they approach her about it?

My mother called me today, laughing, to tell me this story. Then she said "I don't know how to fix this without making it seem like I think there's something to fix." I said, "Let's take this all the way. I'll send you a picture of me with one of my male friends for your desk at work. Hell, let's get you a t-shirt that says "Proud Mother of a Gay Son."

As the Temple City rumor mill runs rampant, my mother told me that this rumor could already by all around Temple City.

To which I said, quite honestly: if anybody out there cares enough to make it an issue, I'm really not all that interested in their opinion as it is.

Stay gay. Stay proud. Good grief.