Many moons ago, when I came out, as a Gay man (amazing to consider coming out as anything but a useless homophobic useful phrase), I was filled with guilt, doubt, and anxiety. It was back in the day, and those days were not friendly to anyone who did not tow some kind of make-believe lie, that men were men and women just chattel. But in a lifetime there are only so many miserable moments of angst and anger a person can tolerate, and I reached my boiling point and discovered that along with everything else in my life I happened to be born as a homosexual. That is an old story, but back in the day, having two young kids, and trying my best to still remain the World’s Best Dad, I did what many single fathers (heterosexual and homosexual did), I tried to spoil my kids with shiny packages of specialness, thinking gifts, trips, more gifts would make my silly guilt float away. I was the best father ever, am still one of the best fathers ever, and I actually have two kids who have judged that honor and have agreed.
In my quest, at the time, to make sure my kids felt loved by me (I was so racked with confusion about thinking I chose to be Gay) I wanted to make certain that my kids understood love is love and real love is unconditional. So, as many a single parent might attempt, I decided to take the kids to Epcot Center and Disney World in Florida. It was in August, a hot humid typical Orlando afternoon, with way too many people standing too close together, waiting their turn for the next ride. Our rise at the moment was the Pirates of the Caribbean. Disney tried their best to keep some shade from smothering the long line of guests, but heat is heat, my kids were young, and my sweet baby girl was thirsty, tired and seemingly overheated. What to do what to do. We would have to wait at least another 20 minutes before entering the ride and finding the pleasure of the great splash of water to refresh us. So, looking around, I saw a vendor selling cups of flavored ice. Decisions, decisions, it seemed to me that the vendor was only a few feet away, I asked a man and his wife if he could keep an eye on my kids, as it seemed my daughter was becoming dehydrated. My son eagerly took the responsibility of holding his sister’s hand (even if cooties were involved). What could go wrong? I dashed over to the vendor, always looking behind me to see where the tall man and wife were walking, knowing my kids were right behind them. But Disney, I suppose realizing how hot the day had become opened up a second line, and low and behold I did not notice the tall man and my kids moving toward that entrance. I bought the ice thinking, all was well, got back to the first line, only to NOT see my kids. I became paralyzed in my legs, shaking, trembling, thinking Oh my God my kids were kidnapped. My voice, however, found more volume than I even knew I could muster, and I yelled ADAM/DANI about 8 million times. Finally, in what seemed a year an a half, which was only about 10 seconds, the tall man waved his hand, my kids ran over to me, I cried, my kids now looked nervous and I pretended that my tears were sweat. The tall man and his wife waved for us to join them, and he whispered in my ear, I was scared too.
Today, hurrah, we are told ONLY 600 children are still kidnapped and held hostage by the administration of Donald Trump. (Of course on his rally in Tampa on Tuesday, July 31, he mentioned nothing of his trafficking of kids, nor did any of his racist cult attendees), but 600 children are still without their parents. Be it 1200 parents or 600 parents or 1 parent without his or her kid, I can not, NO CAN NOT even fathom the horrible, sick, empty, pit that the soon to be orphaned and currently kidnapped kids and their families are going through. I understand Trump gives no shits (have you noticed the lack of any time he spends with Barron), but come on Republicans, or you FOX, Flat Earth believing bigots, have you NO soul, no morals, ACTUALLY no true understanding of unconditional love. This whole self-serving ploy by Trump and his “I was just following orders troop of Nazi’s makes me SICK, SICK, SICK!
