heroes everywhere

There was a huge portico that seemed to us to indicate the buildings front door. There was no parking in the area so Joe set to drop me off and then go find parking. The doors were big and heavy and narrow. We figured it impossible to get in our typical way because there were no door openers. Joe pushed the chair through and then I took his arm to be steady as he walked me in.

I got in and the building interior was quite ornate. I pulled myself back out of the way in the large rotunda that was full of young teens. Apparently there was a big semi-formal dance happening in the room right next to where I was going to a retirement party for a really, really, good friend. The parking must have been hard to find because Joe took his time. I was enjoying the excitement and the nervousness and the scrubbed up and well dressed group of kids coming in and greeting each other and speaking in voices that they one day wanted to have.

Then I noticed two boys come in, they stepped briefly into a hidden spot, that I could see because I had pushed myself out of the way of the crowd. They briefly held hands, looked into each others eyes, the hand let go and they bravely came into the room with their friends. Friends you have to lie to for safety, they will learn one day, are not friends.

They all joked around a bit, the boys presenting themselves as being without dates because they want to have freedom to meet as many girls as they could. Friends would have seen the look of sadness and desperation in their eyes.

We're not done.

We've not arrived.

We fought for marriage equality and somehow everyone thought we were done then. That we'd achieved the goal of equality. That maybe we should silence down, what else do we want for god's sake?

We want all people, including young gay couples, to feel safe where ever they go.

Simple.

I heard the music through the part wall that had been created to divide one huge room into two large rooms. At one point where the music and the noise was particularly forceful. I let my self think that they were dancing together and that they were safe and that their love would not get them beaten or that their public display of their hearts would lead to the abandonment of love from the hearts of others.

They came together, they are not alone.

I hope for now that this is enough to sustain them.

There are heroes everywhere.