DJ Pt. 08

Monday morning, Jamie and DJ woke up in Jamie's bed, kissed each other good morning, and showered together. They got dressed for school, and roamed into the kitchen where Carl was having coffee and chatting with Karen, while she was preparing breakfast for all of them.

"Good morning boys," Karen greeted warmly, "Did you both sleep well?"

"Mom," Jamie answered, "We always sleep well, when we're together."

"DJ," Karen asked, "Does your Dad work today?"

"Yes, Mom, 3 to 9 tonight."

"I know you two usually stay over at Doug's on Monday nights, but you get done with classes about 3:00. Why don't you come back here after class, and I'll fix you boys a nice dinner, and you can go to DJ's later."

Jamie replied, "Today's going to be a little different. We have that organizational meeting at 5:00 PM at school, and I don't know what time it will be over. It might be as late as 7:00 or 7:30 when we actually leave campus, and we'll probably go right to DJ's."

"What organizational meeting is that?" Carl asked.

"There are some kids wanting to organize an LGBT club on campus," Jamie explained, "one of the professors has volunteered to be our advisor. We're just trying to get it set up."

"I'm lost," Carl said, "What is LBT?"

"It's LGBT, and stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender, It's a support and social group for those of us that are not straight, where we can discuss issues, and make friends with other like minded students."

Karen asked, "Can you define Transgender?"

"Probably not exactly, but, you met our friend Mattie at the party Saturday night, he is an F2M Trans, in his case, he is a boy trapped in a girls body, and when he gets done with everything, including surgery, he will be a man."

"We like Matt, a lot," DJ said, "but he has a long road ahead, and he really needs understanding friends, like Jamie and me."

"So this professor that is going to be the advisor," Carl asked, "Is he gay?"

"We don't know," Jamie replied, "he may just be gay supportive."

"You know, boys," Carl said, his eyes a little wet, "I've come a long way. I was pretty homophobic, until Jamie came out as gay. I was also somewhat racist, until Jamie fell in love with a certain young black man, that I've quickly learned to love and respect. I'm sure I have further to go, and more to learn."

Jamie, standing up, "Baby, we gotta get out of here or we'll be late!" Jamie ran back to the bedroom to grab their backpacks.

DJ and Carl both stood up and Carl, wrapping his arms around DJ, "DJ, I'm dead serious when I say I love you, as a son," and kissed DJ on the cheek.

DJ replied, "Thanks, Dad, and I love you too." Carl beamed, when DJ called him 'Dad', it was like the ultimate display of respect.

Jamie and DJ headed out the door saying, "Bye Mom, Bye Dad."

Karen yelled out, "Have a good day, and I hope your meeting goes well."

Karen spoke, "Carl, I'm proud of you, I'm really happy that you have accepted DJ the way you have."

Carl, hugging his wife, "Babe, you know I can't lie, DJ has captivated me, how can anyone not love him? He is simply an outstanding young man! I so much enjoy having him around."

"He's a charmer," Karen said, "and in such an innocent way, I knew I liked him, the very first time I met him. It's no wonder that Jamie fell for him!"

* * * * * * * * * * *

DJ and Jamie are chatting on the way to campus.

"DJ, I'm really proud of my Dad, and very happy at the way he is responding to you. I never dreamed he would love you like he does."

"He may be just putting on a front, to make you feel better."

"Nope, I know my Dad, and as I told you a few days ago, what he thinks in his head, comes out of his mouth. He really does love you. He told me, a couple of days ago, that if anything ever happens to Doug, you still have a home, at our house." DJ smiled.

"Jamie, our English class gets over at three and we have a couple hours to kill before that five o'clock meeting. I wonder if the school will accept my adoption certificate, and get my name changed over?"

"One way to find out is to try it," Jamie replied, "I think admin closes at 4:00 PM, is Mattie meeting us for lunch?"

"As far as I know, I hope so, I'm kind of anxious to see how that meeting is going to go, and how many students will show up."

"I suspect there will only be maybe 6 or 8 today, as most of the students won't even be aware of the club, until after it is actually formed, and we can put out some flyers. I'm wondering what Mr. Finch will be like."

They pulled into the parking lot at campus about 9:45, and looked around but didn't see Mattie's car anywhere, but he might just not be here yet. Once inside, Sandy spotted them and approached them.

"You two are coming to the meeting today aren't you?" Sandy asked.

"Yeah, we plan to be there," DJ replied, "Sandy, I got some great news to share with you, if you have a minute."

"I've got about 5 minutes, so hurry."

"OK, my adoption was approved, so I have a new name now, Douglas Joseph Kendall, and there's more, yesterday, the man my Dad has dated for over 20 years proposed, and my Dad said 'yes'. So not only do I have a father now, that loves me very much, but I'm also going to have an awesome step-dad. I'm so excited I could pee my pants!"

Sandy, laughing, and hugging DJ, "We do have restrooms for that, and I'm so happy for you and your Dad. So your father is gay?"

"Well, he has been my foster father for the last 6 or 7 months, and yes, he is gay. Is Mr. Finch gay?"

"No," Sandy replied, "he is straight, but he is a strong supporter of Human Rights, and the LGBT community. I gotta run, see you at 5:00, Room 122."

Mattie hooked up with Jamie and DJ at lunch, and stated he was definitely going to be at the meeting, and had a class at 3:00 but would maybe try to catch up with them in the student lounge between 4 and 5. After their English class finished at 2:50 PM, DJ (and Jamie) headed to Admin, to see if DJ could get his name changed over.

The lady in admin said she could change it over in the system, based on the adoption certificate, but that they needed a copy of the actual Birth Certificate, for the file, as soon as DJ could supply one. She printed him off some copies of the name change document to give to each instructor so they could change it in their registers.

At about 4:45 PM a handful of students filtered into Rm 122. The room did not have desks, as most of them did, but tables, each capable of seating four students. The instructors podium was placed at the right hand end of the room, and faced the ends of the tables, rather than the long sides, so students viewed the instructor and blackboard by looking either to the right or left, depending on which side of the table they sat at.

At 4:55, Sandy walked up and took the podium.

"Hi everybody, and thank you all for coming here today," Sandy announced, "I have met and talked with most of you within the last 2 or 3 weeks, about forming an LGBT club, or organization here on our campus. In order to be recognized as a legitimate organization, we needed to have an advisor. I contacted at least twenty faculty members, asking them to consider being an advisor for this group, and most turned me down, but finally, our Chemistry professor, Mr. Gordon Finch, accepted the challenge. May I proudly introduce, Mr. Finch."

This Forty-something year old man, with salt and pepper hair, stepped to the podium.

"Thank you Sandy, Hi kids, let me rephrase that, Good Afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. You know when somebody gets to be in their Forties, and you are looking at a group of 18 to 25 year olds, you're all kids to me, so I don't mean that in a derogatory way. I need to ask a very important question though, is anyone in this room under the age of 18?" There was no response.

"Good. Because of the nature of this organization, it could, at times, allow discussions of a sexual nature, which would be considered inappropriate for anyone under 18 to hear or participate in. We do have a few students on campus that are only 17, and they would be considered too young."

"Of course," Finch said, smiling, "the old and wise tell us that "children" under 18 aren't old enough to know if they might be Lesbian, or Gay or Trans. None of you knew anything about your sexuality back when you were in High School, or before you were at least 18, right?" The room rocked with laughter.

"When Sandy Weaver first approached me, and requested me to possibly become an advisor for this new group, my first response was no, I'm not involving myself with something like this. Then I softened a little, and I told her I would consider it, and that I needed a couple days to think it over."

"That night, I discussed it with my wife, and we decided I should do it. The next day I phoned Sandy, and asked her if she had found an advisor, and she told me she hadn't, yet. I told her that she had, and I would do it. I felt kind of bad, when I heard her break down over the phone, and I broke down, my wife had to bring me tissues."

"So why did I have that change of heart, and decide to take this challenge? There are a few reasons. My wife and I are both active supporters of the Human Rights Campaign Fund, the leading organization for the promotion of Equal Rights, and Marriage Equality. We believe that any person has the right to love and marry who they choose, not what government or society, or religious zealots choose."

"I probably don't need to tell you, but I am 100% straight, happily married for almost 20 years, with two wonderful teens in middle and high school. If either of them ever happen to come out as gay, they will be loved just as much as they are today. I do, however, have a couple in my family that are more like some of you."

"My oldest sister, 15 years my senior, lived with another woman, a "roommate" if you will, and I often stayed with them on weekends, or sometime on spring break or summer vacation. The roommate had a boy, Rusty, that was my age, about 10 years old, so when I was there, I also had a playmate. They had 2 bedrooms, the ladies room and Rusty's, of course Rusty and I slept together, and thought nothing of it, just 2 boys. Rusty and I slept together a lot, until we were about 16, and it just became 'too gay' for either of us."

"I was curious though, and I started asking questions of my sister. She explained to me, in a way that a 10 year old could understand, about how sometimes girls like girls, and boys like boys, and there is nothing wrong or weird about it, it's just how some people are. My sister, and her, now, wife have been together for over 35 years, and married for 2. For the record, Rusty has been married to his wife for about 20 years and they have 4 beautiful children. Does that substantiate how children raised in a same sex environment turn out gay?"

"One more quickie, my older brother's youngest son, Ricky, came out to the family just a few months ago as gay, and he is 13, and still loved by us all, he's a great kid."

"I need to tell you, this school has a very strict anti-discrimination policy, which forbids discrimination against Race, Ethnicity, Religion, Gender or Sexual Orientation. Just about two years ago, three male students beat the daylights out of a gay student, put him in the hospital for 2 weeks. All three were permanently expelled, the gay student graduated this past May with high honors. You guys, and girls, are kind of a protected species here. If any of you ever get threatened, or abused, even verbally, report it."

"I know I took a lot of time up today, but I thought these were things you really needed to know, about me, why I am your advisor, and about school policy. This is your club, how and what you do is your choice, I'm here to assist you and advise you. You guys need to come up with a name for the club, and probably elect some officers. I feel, if the membership is to grow, you need to find a way to promote it, maybe posters, or flyers. I know this group can grow, there are a lot more of your sisters and brothers on this campus, but they don't know you exist, yet. Sandy has done very well to get this many together for a first meeting, and I'm going to turn this podium back to her and take a seat."

"You know guys," Sandy said, "I wanted so much to see this group form, and I was really getting discouraged, unable to find a faculty member willing to be our adviser, and that was an essential element. When Mr. Finch told me he would do it, it was like the weight of the world was lifted from my shoulders. Yeah, I'd like to think I'm strong, and I did break down, it was like Niagara Falls fell!"

A tall, lanky young man stood up.

"Can we get your name, and what you'd like to say?"

"I'm Phil, and I have a question for the room, what is every college kids' favorite food?"

At least 7 or 8 voices hollered 'Pizza!"

"Exactly!" Phil returned, smiling, "So what if we sponsored a pizza party, combined with a membership drive? Only open to LGBT students."

"How do they prove they are LGBT?" Sandy asked.

"Kiss test. It works like this."

Phil, walking over to DJ, and motioning him to stand, "What is your name?"

"DJ."

"I'm Phil, glad to meet you." And kissed DJ's lips, and DJ instinctively placed his hand behind Phil's head and kissed back. Jamie seemed just a tad jealous and tried playing a little tit for tat, walking over to a blue eyed black haired boy.

"What's your name?" Jamie asked, "I'm Jamie."

"Bryan," he answered, and Jamie kissed him on the lips, Bryan closed his eyes and tried to push his tongue into Jamie's mouth, and Jamie let him, for a few seconds. DJ walked over and grabbed Jamie's hand, dragging him back to his seat.

"You're enjoying that too much, baby!" DJ said.

"You enjoyed kissing Phil, too."

Phil did one more test, walking over to Sandy's girlfriend, and tried to kiss her. She jumped up, knocking the chair over and yelled, "I don't kiss boys!"

"Just proving a point," Phil stated, smirking, "I knew she wouldn't let me."

"She'd better not Phil, no telling where your mouth has been!" Sandy retorted, grinning, Okay everybody, we've had a little fun the last few minutes, but we need to get serious. In reality, we don't need to do the Kiss Test. The straight folks aren't likely to come into an LGBT pizza party, because they don't want to be guilty of being gay by association."

"Jamie, you have something to offer?"

"I work at Anthony's Pizzeria, and we have a party room. He's gay friendly and, if we had it at the right time I could likely get us a good deal. We can't do Monday evening cause we're closed, but how about a Saturday morning, say 11:00 AM?"

"See what you can work out, Jamie, and report back," Sandy answered, "Since we're just in the beginning stages of organizing, there is so far only about 11 of us, I think we need to concentrate on getting the word out, that we're here. Is there anyone here that is maybe into graphics, that could possibly design some flyers, or maybe posters?"

"Bryan and I could work on something like that," Phil stated, "but don't we kind of need a name for this group?"

"Yes," Sandy replied, "I've been trying to come up with something. I'd like to see something with 'Rainbow' in the title, but maybe someone else has a better idea. It's open right now, ideas anyone? Matt?"

"How about 'Community Rainbow Alliance'?" Mattie suggested.

"I like that," one of the girls commented, "It gets the Community in there."

"Working Together for a better Tomorrow could be a slogan."

"How does this sound," Bryan said, 'Rainbow Alliance, working towards a Better Community."

Phil added, "And have each letter of the 'Rainbow Alliance' in different colors from the Pride flag."

"What do you think, Mr. Finch?" Sandy asked.

"I like the slogan, as Bryan put it, and I think the Rainbow Alliance part should be like the rainbow spectrum. It's really up to you guys, it's your baby."

"Can we get a show of hands to name our club 'Rainbow Alliance'?"

Sandy, counting, "Ten out of Eleven, I guess we have a name! Can you two, Phil and Bryan, try to create a couple options for us to look at next week?"

"Yes," Phil said, "we'll at least have something, might not be the final."

"Mattie, you want to say something?"

"Since we don't really have enough members yet to do an election, and Sandy has worked so hard to get us this far, I'd like to make a motion to install Sandy Weaver as interim coordinator of the Rainbow Alliance."

"All those in favor, say aye." A bunch of aye's were heard.

"All those opposed, nay." Dead Silence.

"Guys, I really appreciate that vote of confidence, and I will do whatever I can to keep this ball rolling. Next Monday, same time, same place! Y'all have a pleasant week."

Jamie, while driving to DJ's house, "You were really jealous of Bryan, weren't you?"

"Jamie, after all these years, my life is finally coming together. There are two people in my life that really means the world to me, and that is you and Dad. I think I would die if I lost either one of you."

"DJ, Bryan seems like a pretty nice guy, and he may become a good friend to us, but you have my heart. We were just having a little fun, and besides, I think Bryan and Phil may have something going on."

The boys stopped at WAWA and picked up some subs, arriving home about 8:00 PM.

* * * * * * * * * * *

I got home about 9:20 Monday evening and found a sub on the table with a note that said 'we saved this for you, Dad.' I cannot help but admire how thoughtful these boys are, and realize how much I love them both. I then ate the sub, as I was a bit hungry.

About 10:00 PM I received a phone call from my boyfriend, make that fiancée. I answered.

"Hi baby, what's up?"

"Doug, I'm due to work at 11:00 and I get off at 7:00 in the morning. I'd like very much to pick you up, about 7:30 and take my fiancée out for breakfast. Just the two of us, would that be cool?"

"Sure, Joe, any particular reason?"

"Yeah, a couple reasons, first I just want to see you, and there are a couple things we need to discuss."

"I'll be ready, thanks Joe, and have a good shift."

I am quite certain the boys are probably in bed. I couldn't see any light under the door, and quietly opened it a couple of inches.

"Are you boys still awake?" I asked, softly.

"Yeah, Dad, we only went to bed about 10 or 15 minutes ago." DJ answered.

"Thanks for the sub, and I probably won't be here when you get up, Joe is taking me out to breakfast about 7:30."

"Your welcome Dad, and we are quite capable of getting our own breakfast. We hope you and Joe have a good time." DJ said, "Goodnight Dad."

"I'm wondering, DJ," Jamie spoke, "Maybe Joe is going to take Dad ring shopping tomorrow."

"I hope so, baby, maybe we'll find out soon, or maybe they want to discuss a wedding date?"

The two boys were already cuddled together, and soon fell asleep. Doug set his alarm for 7:00 AM, and also soon drifted off to sleep.

* * * * * * * * * * *

My alarm went off at 7:00 AM Tuesday and I dragged myself out of bed, knowing my Joe would be here to pick me up soon. I quickly freshened up and shaved in the bathroom, then dressed, casually. I didn't bother to make coffee this morning, if DJ wants some, he can make it. Joe arrived, and walked in the kitchen door at just about 7:30, still in his police uniform.

Joe, wrapping his arms around me, "You ready, Babe?" and kissed me warmly.

"About as ready as I'll ever be," I stated, "I'm a little surprised you're still in uniform."

"I didn't want to waste the time changing, and I didn't plan on us going to a high class place anyway, Is Denny's OK?"

"Denny's is fine," I replied.

It only took about ten minutes to drive to Denny's from my house, we walked in and were seated by the hostess, and both order coffee to start. The waitress brought our coffee and took our breakfast orders, which Joe stated were on one check.