[In Chapter 20, Mike had to decide how he would answer his employer's questions, "Are you gay? Queer?" The same day Chester Jennings, a rising star at the company where Mike works, came out of the closet to Mike.]
"I have a lover and I keep a picture of him in my desk drawer. I keep my job. I earn a good salary and I like my work," Chester said to Mike.
"It's not fair and it's dishonest."
"You weren't promised fair. And, yes, it's dishonest. But it's survival."
Mike seemed to rotate from meeting to meeting and didn't accomplish much. "Just one of those long meetings from the minute I get to the office until I leave," he said to Chester. "Frankly, my mind is elsewhere."
Mike drove home to west Akron. The sun was shining bright and seemed to be big enough and bright enough to blind the drivers along Market Street. "Wish I were mayor of Akron," Mike said to himself. "I'd make sure Market Street remains a four lane street. People park in No Parking zones. The postman, UPS seem to delight in parking under the No Parking signs and no one says anything."
Mike stopped at West Point Market and bought dinner and a couple of bottles of wine. "One before dinner and one with dinner," he thought to himself.
Mike walked into the house and Dan was standing their ready to embrace him. "I've been worried about you all day," Dan said. "What have you been thinking about Hardstone's edict?"
Mike quickly recapped his conversation with Chester Jennings. Mike concluded his recitation saying, "It's dishonest."
"It keeps your job. Men and women all over Akron, Summit County, the United States are dishonest. They don't put pictures of their partners on their desk. Yet, the executives admire people who have a heterosexual photograph of spouse and children on the desk. My advice is this -- I'm here with you. You don't need a photo of me on your desk. You have the real thing at home every night. Tell Hardstone you're straight, keep your job and let's make love."
"Dan, making love doesn't solve all problems. In truth, I don't need your photograph on my desk to remind me of my love for you. The photograph is only a symbol. I do need to accept myself as a gay man and when I lie about being gay -- I don't accept myself. If I don't accept myself, how can I expect Hardstone or other people to accept me?"
"That's a good point," said Dan.
As the two men prepared dinner, they celebrated the need to celebrate with the two bottles of wine.
"what are you thinking about? You're so remote," Dan asked.
"Nothing. Just planning what I'm going to do at work tomorrow."
"What are you going to do?" said Dan.
"I'll tell you tomorrow night. Let's have another glass of wine and make love. You're right, Dan, making love will solve some problems."
The men left the dishes on the dining room table and went to bed. Dan held Mike and said, "Shakespeare was right. Wine increases the desire and dulls the performance. I'm sorry everything was so clumsy."
Dan listened for Mike's response. All he could hear was Mike's soft snoring. Dan held Mike for another minute and then turned over and fell asleep. A minute later, it seemed, the clock radio started playing music and Rebecca Fisher at WCLV announced that it was time to get up.
"I'm really looking forward to work today, Mike said. "This is going to be fun."
"What are you planning? Remember, don't get fired. Don't quit."
Quietly and quickly, Mike placed a framed photograph in his brief case and walked out the door. He was on his way to work.
[Whose photograph is Mike taking to work? Will we find Mike in the unemployment line in the next exciting chapter of Tales of Akron? What do you do, Dear Reader? Where is your lover's photograph? Do you keep it on your desk at work?]
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