Keeping a secret from one of your best friends of over thirty years is not easy! Finally, the time was right for the big reveal. I was sitting in a neighborhood bar with him and another one of my friends who was already in on my little secret. The plan was to play a set-up game of “I Never." It was as simple as that. Just to familiarize you with the rules of the game, if you have experienced whatever the statement indicated, you have to take a sip of your drink. People get to know each other really well when they play this game.
My straight female friend who was “in the loop,” made a statement about never having had a girlfriend. So, my straight male friend of over thirty years, Mike, raised his glass to his lips and proudly took his drink. And then the surprise came when I did the same. I didn’t even have to say a word. Taking that sip of my drink spoke volumes.
His reaction? He held up his drink, clinked his glass with my beer bottle, and said, “Cheers! Something else we have in common!” This led to a wonderful conversation about my experiences and how happy he was that I shared the news with him. The rest, as they say, is history. If only all “coming out” conversations could be that easy, but not everyone is as non-judgmental as good-old Mike.