Edly

Edly, age 10

Albuquerque, NM (1979)

This photo was taken by my friend Dave G. who was my BFF from 2nd grade through freshman year. He and I spent many hours making gross-out audio cassettes and creating video parodies of MTV hair-bands, local news, religious puppet shows, and an epic soap opera entitled The Hours Of The Day.

"Cheese & Macaroni!"

Dave and I drifted apart in high school and college, but we reconnected in the mid-90's, particularly after he came out. I guess I never had to come out to him per se - he was the butch one - LOL!

During this time, I was disturbingly skinny, annoyingly hyper, precocious, geeky, and could 'horror movie scream' with the best of 'em. I hated most contact team sports, and loved anything creative - performing, theater, writing, piano lessons, crafts, A/V, Legos, and watching TV. I played Charlie's Angels with the girls in the neighborhood. No Starsky & Hutch for me!

I remember first feeling "different" when I identified so much with the misfit toys from Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer on TV. So much so, that I dressed as the spotted elephant for Halloween in 1st grade. I knew I was gay when I saw another friend's older brother changing into his swimsuit.

Looking back, I like this picture - I look like a happy, spirited kid to me.
I dunno what the hand gesture means, but most likely 'Peace' or 'Little Bunny Foo-Foo.'

Edly's first, famous-person same-sex crushes:
Gil Gerard ("Buck Rogers In The 25th Century")
Max Gail ("Wojo" on "Barney Miller")
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