He loved his Mom and Dad. He really, really did.

Danny was different than all the other parent’s kids, though. He didn’t fit in with their routine of school, game, church. School was ok, he guessed, but he couldn’t cheer on Friday for the jocks that had pushed him into the locker all week, nor could he nod along to the preacher on Sunday that said even worse things should happen to him.

Danny’s refuge from that was sitting in his room, singing along softly to his collection of musicals. Jesus Christ Superstar, Rent, Pippin; he’d close his eyes and see himself on stage, under lights, belting it out.

Once he’d actually tried to tell his parents everything. They didn’t understand. They thought he’d met a new girl at school named Dorothy. They’d even asked him if he’d like to borrow the car to take her out some time. At that moment, he had wanted very much to drive the car off a cliff, with himself inside it.

And as he left the note on the kitchen table, he hoped that they might get the message this time, but he knew they probably wouldn’t.

“Gone to meet MAGY, back later.”

Memphis Note
MAGY stands for Memphis Area Gay Youth. It’s a wonderful support group here in town that’s help God knows how many kids make it through the tribulations of adolescence into adulthood. Oh, and the Dorothy thing? Look up Friend of Dorothy. It’s a euphemism going back to the 50s.