January 13, 2011

Brian

Brian, age 5
Las Vegas, New Mexico (1973)

Here I am, with my cousin Terri - my first, smartest, and sassiest friend.


This image was rescued by my uncle from one of those photo buttons they sometimes sold at carnivals and in the 1970's. The carny would snap a Polaroid picture and use a big metal contraption to cut and encase the actual photograph inside a saucer-sized "button."

I think my parents paid for the photo-button to be made as a gift for my grandmother, because it sat accusingly on her family picture sideboard for decades. More recently, my photographer uncle digitized the photograph itself by dismantling the button. I have no idea why he then color treated the image.

I was quiet, sensitive, and non-athletic from the get go. I cared little for typical boy things, like playing outside, running, or throwing balls at people. And I only participated in such activities under duress, or my father's intimidating insistence.

I much preferred to watch TV, crayon-color, or play with my collection of GI Joe, Ken and Six Million Dollar Man dolls.

And I learned early on that the best protection from mean boys was a tough, fearless girl. It was not until the 2nd grade that I consciously trained myself never to show a dangly or "limp" wrist.

Brian's first, famous-person same sex crushes:
Matthew Laborteaux (Albert from "Little House on the Prairie")
Ike Eisenmann (Tony from "Witch Mountain" movies) 

Zan (from "Superfriends")
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8 comments:

Derek said...

"The best protection from mean boys is a tough, fearless girl." Truer words have never been spoken!

Unknown said...

I agree with Derek. I think you may spoken one of the basic tenets necessary for the survival of all Gay men when we were children: "The best protection from mean boys is a tough, fearless girl."

Well said!

Van in San Diego

PDXDZ9R said...

Wow I was so excited to see another gay vegan, you've got about four years on me. You might have gone to school with my sis if you went to Robertson!! I totally had a boy crush on Ike as well, could never get enough of Witch Mountain.

Josh (Las Vegas NM, now Portland, OR)

Anonymous said...

WONDERTWIN POWERS ACTIVATE!

thatwastheact said...

So sad that too many of us had to: "consciously trained myself never to..." do something/anything that would reveal our inner being. The WORLD WOULD BE SOOOOOOO MUCH MORE FABULOUS IF NO GAY PERSON HID THEIR INNER BEING.

Bonnie said...

I agree with E.l.M., and I love what Anonymous said! Hooray for tough, fearless girls!! (I hope I'm one.) Lots of love to you, Brian!

slcgayboi said...

Wow! I'm also from Las Vegas, NM... small town, I was shocked when I saw your post... had to comment even before reading it! Do you know the Jordan or Jaramillo families?

tgraf66 said...

I *still* have a crush on Ike...