What's Up

[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,