SOS - Introducing the awardee

Again, I skipped last week's collective bath hosted by Brillig and Walking Kateastrophe's. And again I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the flexibility they give those of us that want to participate in Soap Opera Sunday. So now, aren't they wicked awesome? Go to their sites today to read their and other sudsy tales.

Here is another one of mine....

By the late 1990's I had married Amazing Guy (AG), gotten my masters degree in Maternal and Child Health and was working for this incredible organization seeking to make the health care system more equitable and accessible.

One sadness though was that my mentor, the man who had given me all of his knowledge, time and contacts so I could be the health care advocate I was becoming, was getting sicker and sicker from AIDS. He worked for a different non-profit so I nominated him for one of our organization's annual awards and he was selected. He, in turn, asked me to introduce him at the awards night.

Several hundreds of people attended the celebration, including one of our then Congressmen and his wife. My parents and husband came as well. I got up on stage with the Congressman on my right, and formally introduced my friend and mentor. I did not mention his potty mouth, his absolute love of repeating how I couldn't spot an erect elephant's, ahem, thang when I was on a safari (no, I haven't told you about it either), nor that he could be a bitchy queen.

I spoke with dignity about his intelligence, his compassion and how a poor client bought him a new leather carryall after watching him try to carry papers in a ratty, torn pouch.

So I gave him a hug and stepped back as he walked to the podium. He got up and said,

"When I learned I was getting this award, I knew I had to have Allison introduce me. She tells me a friend in New Orleans calls her 'a gay man trapped in a straight woman's body'. Since I consider myself a feminist lesbian trapped in a gay man's body, I knew we were meant to be friends...."

Did I mention there was a Congressman 7 feet from me?

And my dad was in the audience?

Next to my mother?

Who was next to my husband?

And over 200 other people including my colleagues, state legislators and funders?

As I sat back in my chair, Amazing Guy leans over and asks,

"If you are a gay man trapped in a straight woman's body, what does that make me?"