My Cousin.

I was sent to Tuscaloosa, AL when I was 11 years old, 1951, to spend my summer with my mother's older sisters. Now both of these sisters were senior nurses at Bryce Hospital. Bryce Hospital was/is a mental hospital. To this day I do not know if I was sent there for a vacation or for a mental examination. My sister says that it was for a vacation; while other family members maintains that it was because I am insane. (You dear reader of this hub must decide for yourself.)

There I met one of my aunts' oldest son. He was my hero. a Naval combat pilot of the Korean War. Five confirmed kills, of MIGS! I found out later he was dishonorably discharged from the Navy; because he was a homosexual.

He taught me so many things. He was the one that first exposed me to opera and classical music. I first time that I heard it, I cried. The only music that I heard before that was country or weepy songs from World War II. He explained to me that it wasn't necessary to understand the words as long as you understood the meaning of the music. And such MUSIC! My heart and soul rejoiced at the sound. Mozart, Puccini, Bach, Wagner. I felt that I had been liberated from the earth. That I could soar above life itself.

He taught me about flying and model airplanes. He taught me to build them and to fly them. He freed my mind and soul. He took me to football practices at the University of Alabama, he taught me football and how play it. He taught me how to swim and how to escape from a drowning situation.

The things that he taught me are too numerous to list here. But the most thing that he taught me was the importance of education. How mathematics applied to every day life; the importance of good and proper English. How most people are restrained from furthering themselves simply because they could not speak properly. In the Deep South, this was a common problem. For me, he really was Henry Higgins. All of this was long before "My Fair Lady"; I do know that he read George Bernard Shaw.

And I loved him! And he never touched me; Nor I him!

When I returned home a week before Labor Day. I was quizzed my mother and father as to what happened. I was probably responsible because as soon as I returned I asked for my own radio. And I found WWL; "Your clear channel station." and discovered that it broadcast symphonies and operas from New York, after 10PM. I would tune to it and listen and silently rejoice. I studied harder and made honor roll consistently, cause only honor roll students were selected every year to attend to the New Orleans Symphony. I had to be on that list! There I met Bizet, Tchaikovsky, Liszt, Brahms. God! I was in heaven! And therefore, if I liked - no loved that type of music - I must be a queer! In spite of what happened to me at St. Maurice school. And made honor roll - I must be a fairy!

Fast forward fifty years.

We were driving to Louisiana to attend our grandson's graduation. We were driving from Oklahoma and its a long drive to New Orleans. I could tell that something was on my bride's mind. I tried to feel her out. But, following her female intuition, she kept her silence. Until we were crossing the Atchafalaya Basin into Baton Rouge. Then she began, "Bill, what would you do if you found out that someone in the family was a homosexual?" I laughed and asked who was it. She said,"Suppose its one of your sons?". I laughed harder and said "That's impossible!" She became angry, "Why is that so impossible?", she demanded. I said, "Because I know my sons! So who is it?" She told me; it was my turn for silence.

"What are you thinking, what are going to do?", was her worried question. "Why do you want to know?', I asked. "Well, because before we get there, I need to know if you are going to do anything crazy. The whole family knows how you feel about homosexuals. And if you are going to hurt anyone, I need to know NOW!"

I looked at her, remembering the love that I have and have felt for her. And said."You know we have been married for a very long time. I am truly amazed that you still do not know me. He is the child of a daughter that I love deeply. Do you really think that I would hurt her or her son? I was there when he was born. I fed him, I changed him. I walked him when he had colic. I held his hands as he took his first steps. I used to walk him around the block in the winter. I got him his first puppy. Do you or anyone in the family really think that I could hurt him? This is a small part of his life; and I will not allow YOU or anyone take from me the memories that I have of him and our relationship from me! I was there at his beginning and I will there for him as long as he needs me! And I defy anyone to attempt to take those memories from me! He is and always will be MY grandson! And I will defend him to my death!"