[In Chapter 19, Mike got the word from Horace Hardstone, his employer, "Are you gay? Queer? I don't like homosexuals. I don't want them working here. If you're that way, I hope you'll submit a letter of resignation by the end of the week." Mike hurried back to his office and dialed Dan's number on the telephone.]
Mike quickly told Dan what Hardstone had said. "What should I do?"
"Don't do anything," said Dan. "We'll talk about this tonight. We need your income to keep the house and our lifestyle. We can't live on one income."
"Of course," Mike said, his voice quivered. He sat at his desk and wiped a tear from his cheek.
"Are you ok? Sound like you're crying."
"No, I'm not... Yes, I'm crying. I'm angry, frustrated. He can't destroy my career, my life because I'm gay. That's not fair."
"Fairness has nothing to do with this problem. Pull yourself together. Don't let anyone see that you've been crying. You've not been fired. Let's buy some time."
"Hardstone gave me until the end of the week to resign. How is that different than being fired?"
"We need time to think. Don't tip your hand to anyone. Meet me at home at noon and we can plan. But, whatever you do, don't resign. Don't talk about this to anyone. Do your work and do it to the best of your ability. I'll see you at noon."
The telephone clicked and Dan was gone. Mike reached into a drawer and pulled out a box of tissues. He wiped his eyes and dried his face. He had repaired himself just as Chester Jennings knocked on the door and opened it at the same time.
"Mike, don't forget the meeting in the conference room in five minutes," Chester said. "What's wrong? You look like you've been crying."
Mike turned his back to Chester and the tears were close to the top again. "I think Hardstone is trying to fire me."
"Why, because you're gay? He hates gay men."
"Why did you say that? Why did you say that I'm gay?"
"You are, aren't you?" Chester asked. "Everyone in the company knows you're gay. Don't worry about it. Hardstone probably gave you that I-Hate-Gays speech. He gave it to me. I butched for a week or two and that cloud blew over."
"You're gay, too?" said Mike.
"Of course. Several of us are gay. We pretend to be straight and keep our jobs."
"That's dishonest."
"That's called survival. We keep our jobs. My advice to you is simple -- work hard, play straight and keep your private life private."
"The married people, the heterosexual people have pictures of their spouses on their desks. I don't have any pictures on my desk. I would like to have a photograph of Dan on my desk."
"Is Dan, your lover?" Chester said.
Mike nodded.
"I tell you what. I have a lover and I keep a picture of him in my desk drawer and I keep my job. I earn a good salary and I like my work. I keep my personal life away from this building. I don't call Ken from the office. I never meet him for lunch. I keep my job and I may get a promotion and a raise."
"It's not fair and it's dishonest," Mike repeated.
"Life isn't fair. You weren't promised fair. And, yes, it's dishonest. But it's survival. And, my friend, for us to survive in this company, we have to be discreet and we have to go to a committee meeting. Let's go."
[We know survival, don't we, Dear Reader. But what's fair and honest? Be sure to read the next exciting chapter of Tales of Akron and discover more revelations about survival, honesty and fairness. Oh, yes, Dear Reader, do you have a framed photograph of your lover on display at the place where you work? So, who is honest and who is dishonest?]
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