Who would have thought that life could change so quickly?
One minute you are preparing for a holiday to New York and talking to your grandmother about how when you get back you'll have a drink with her and talk about the adventures. The next you are on a flight back from New York to say goodbye to the same grandmother. Life is quite full on sometimes.
So last month I was on holiday in New York. I had queued for the Alexander McQueen exhibition and finally got to view the amazing fashion of the late designer. Feeling invigorated I I had lunch in the sculpture garden in the MET and then spent the afternoon window shopping. Returning back to my friend's apartment I felt that I would give me parents a call and then call my grandmother. I called my parents and was greeted with a rather somber hello. Instantly I knew something was wrong. I was advised that my grandmother had passed away a few hours earlier that morning. How on earth was that possible? She was meant to be moving into a retirement village and I was going to go visit once I return. I really didn't think this was possible.
After speaking to my parents I knew I wanted to get home. So I called the insurance company, who couldn't get me out. I then called Qantas to try and find a flight home and discovered I missed the flight that day but they could get me out the following day at a HUGE cost. But I didn't care. I just wanted to get home.
The flight home was horrendous. Fine I might have been flying first and business class, but it didn't make things any better. All I wanted to do was be home with my family and try and get my head around what on earth was going on.
Saying a final goodbye is very hard but also a nice sense of closure. Being able to say thank you for the love and support is what I needed, but just wish it had been later in my life and could have had a few more days or weeks with her.
But who would have thought that saying goodbye would bring up a lot of memories about the past and the numerous difficulties that I experienced as a young gay man at high school.
Bullying is such a bitch and it takes years to overcome. It is a shame that it still takes place in high schools all around Australia. The older I become the more I discuss high school life with my gay friends and it seems that we all experienced the same things when young. I wonder if there will ever be a time when young gay men aren't tortured and tormented for being gay?? It would be nice to think that eventually people will be a little more tolerant towards the young gays and lesbians in school.
Anyway a hell of a month or two... maybe a little bit wiser, but definitely a little bit older and have a couple of new grey hairs to prove it!
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