“1986 Heatwave” © Robert Fleming

 

Pride

Daquan woke up excited that morning. He was going to his first Pride parade and he couldn’t wait. He all but bounced out of bed—the extra sleep he’d gotten had given his swag extra swaggines and he strolled to the closet to pick out his outfit.

He had explained to his teachers he wouldn’t be in school today and they had all been understanding—if he made up any missed work and kept his grades up. He decided not to tell his brother, Marquis, because he didn’t want to hear a lecture on missing school. Marquis was the reason he was in school in the first place, even if it was Community College. He had encouraged Daquan every step of the way.

But a boy only got one first Pride and he intended to celebrate. Looking over his options in the closet, Daquan settled on jean shorts with rainbow suspenders over a white tank. White tennis shoes with rainbow pom-poms (thanks mom!) completed the outfit and he started out the door.

Once on the blue line, he could tell that he wasn’t the only one going to the Long Beach Pride Parade. Hair color ranged from pink to blue and everything in between. There were more dog collars than dogs on that train.

One thing Billy hated though, was peace and love. He found his victim in a slight young man holding hands with his partner.

“Hey Freak!”, he bellowed. “You make me sick. Find your own place to do that.”

Daquan stood up slowly, his dark skin covered only by short shorts and rainbows suspensers. One eye was made up while the other was still naked because of the train bouncing.

“This is his place,” he said. The only sound was his voice and the clanging of the train as it bounced.

They stood eye to eye, while Billy thought of the potential for humiliation if he got beat up by a man wearing rainbow pom-pom socks. When the train stopped he quickly exited to stage left amid much laughter. There was applause and laughter as someone bust out the boom box.

“We are Family!” was still bumping in his mind as he walked up Ocean Boulevard. Surrounded by people who just wanted to love, just wanted to be themselves, Daquan felt a freedom and a connectedness with humanity he had never felt before.

Occasionally someone slapped his ass or pulled his suspenders but in his state of Zen, Daquan didn’t even care. Simply smiling and walking on.

Finally he came to his destination and for the first time felt a twinge of fear. Would he be welcome here? Was his presence a help or a hindrance? His worries passed quickly though as he was welcomed warmly as he arrived, with someone pressing a drink into his hands and pointing the way up.

Marquis was shocked to see him asking, “What are you wearing and why aren’t you in school?”

Daquan merely smiled and said the same thing he had been saying all day. “A boy only gets one First Pride.”

“You came for me?” His eyes filled and Daquan reminded him, “You’re going to run. Let me get some tissues.”

As Marquis felt the love and acceptance he had longed for a friend of his approached him.”

“Who is the cutie and is he gay?”

“That’s my brother and no, no he’s not.”

 

Maya Kennedy (she/her): “I have a BA in Creative Writing. A female POC, I grew up in Compton, California. There I experienced and witnessed trauma, violence, and poverty. It was when I discovered Long Beach and was accepted by a vibrant LGBTQ community that I could see different versions of the world–versions of me. These men taught me to forgive myself (and how to look down then up when applying mascara) and love myself. I am a person who loves deeply but finds it hard to express the depth adequately. This story is my attempt.”

Robert Fleming is a digital artist and visual poet from Lewes, DE. His books are White Noir, an Amazon best seller and Con-Way in 4 in 1 #4. Founding/contributing editor of Old Scratch Press and editor of Instant Noodles.