It might have ended differently.
Toby could have found something resembling a comfort level.
In 1965 a gay man was a despised creature
And gay support groups were not advertising.
Toby was among the believers who held that
With enough religion and commitment,
He could overcome the affliction.
His relief came in the form of a needle.
Smart enough to fake getting well,
His time in drug rehab seemed to be working.
Encounter games indicated that he had strengthened,
And could recover from a bad day.
Within a week of completing treatment,
He had a job; with a sympathetic soul.
What he didn’t have was personal integrity.
Faking the job was all Toby could do.
Only alcohol allowed him sleep.
Knowing he would be caught
Did not allow him to ask for help.
Within a month his job was history.
His sympathetic boss was distraught.
Why did he not see through the thin veil?
What help might he have offered? ?
In time the boss recovered, Toby lasted two weeks on the street.
No comments:
Post a Comment