DANCING ON THE TUNDRA by Bert McKenzie Copyright 2010
Disclaimer: This story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any real person alive or dead is coincidental and unintentional.
CHAPTER XXIV
"That little faggot assaulted me!" Mike Myers yelled when he finally came around. "I'm gonna press charges for assault and battery!"
"Well go ahead if you really want to," Dan said as he managed to help the fat man out of the building. "But just remember there were at least two witnesses who will testify that he acted in self defense. Also, Terry has quite a bit of money with which to hire attorneys. Now if you can really afford a long, drawn out court battle, not to mention a counter suit for damaging his character, I guess that's your choice."
"Get your fucking queer hands off me," the man said as he jerked away from Dan. In the parking lot he turned around and said, "At least I can tell the newspaper what I saw, you two pansies kissing. That he-man macho image he presents in the movies is dead."
"Did you know Terry gets nearly a million dollars a picture? Can you really afford that kind of money when his lawyers sue you if he loses any contracts?" Bart Smith grabbed his friend by the arm and began pulling him toward their cars.
"It was a lucky punch. No fairy's gonna take me down in a fair fight. Come on. I dare you." Dan took two steps in their direction and the men turned and ran for the vehicles. He then went back inside the school.
Meanwhile Terry straightened out his suit, combed his hair and returned to the dance. "That was pretty sharp," Jim said to him as he walked into the gymnasium. "You really can take care of yourself."
"I guess so," Terry admitted modestly. "I had some good coaches in Hollywood. Let's just forget it ever happened."
"Fine. Well, it's good seeing you. Take care." The man quickly made tracks to the other side of the gym.
"What did you say to him?" Paula asked as she came up beside Terry.
"Nothing. I guess it's just the aftermath of my little bathroom adventure."
"I heard," Paula whispered.
"Are you responsible for bringing Dan here?"
"I am," she answered proudly.
"Well, thanks a lot. The cat's definitely out of the bag now." About this time Dan returned to join them. The three stood side by side and watched the reunion dance take place around them, the other people in the gym now giving them a wide berth.
"Maybe I better go," Dan whispered.
"Too late now," Terry replied. "We've been spotted." Father Joseph ambled over and smiled affably. "Father, this is Dan Beaumont, my secretary and business associate. Dan, Father Joseph. He was the principal when I was in school here."
"Please to meet you, Father," Dan said and reached out.
The priest smiled and seemed not to notice the extended hand. "Terry," he said, placing an arm on the actor's shoulder and leading him a few steps away. "I heard about the altercation between you and those other boys in the bathroom."
"Yes. I'm sorry that happened."
"So am I," the old priest said. "You know they have as much right to be here at this reunion as you do, and considerably more than your . . . friend over there."
"Yes," Terry said through gritted teeth.
"I'm going to be blunt. Are you and that man having homosexual relations?"
"Excuse me, Father, but that's none of your business."
"It's God's business and that makes it my business." Terry shrugged off the man's hand and turned to leave. "Just a minute," the priest said, freezing Terry the same way he had when the man was only a sixteen year old boy. Terry slowly turned back to him. "I think perhaps you and your friend should leave."
"My pleasure," Terry said with his best cinema smile.
"Oh, and I hope to see you tomorrow. I'm celebrating Mass at Christ the King just for your class. I'll be available to hear your confession before hand."
"I bet you will," Terry thought to himself, but said aloud, "Why thank you, Father. But please don't hold your breath." He turned on his heal and walked up to Dan. "Let's get the hell out of here," he growled. The two men headed for the door, with Paula chasing after them. Just as she reached the exit she glanced over her shoulder and witnessed some of her classmates pulling down the sign that read, "Welcome Home Terry Michaels."
Terry's mom was a little confused. She didn't understand this whole homosexual thing and figured it was just a phase her son was going through. Terry tried to explain that he was 38 years old and by no means just going through a phase, but she only smiled and offered him more to eat. She liked Dan and if the two of them were happy that was all she seemed to think mattered. She didn't know what all had happened the night before, but she sensed something was wrong when Terry told her he wasn't going to the special Mass being held for the reunion class. Then he and Dan packed their bags, jumped in their rented car and drove off, heading for the nearest airport. Terry's mom was sorry to see them leave, and she sat out on the front porch for a long time, gazing into the street down which the car had driven, taking her baby away from her once again.
As Terry and Dan sat waiting at the airport for the next flight to L.A. a woman spoke up from behind them. "Isn't that Terry Michaels, the movie star?" she asked in a breathy voice.
"Why, yes it is," Dan said in his easy going manner. "Would you like his autograph?"
Terry shot Dan a look that could kill, kicking him in the shins at the same time. "No thanks," the woman said, startling Terry. He turned to look and saw Paula standing there. "Why would I want an autograph from a man who wouldn't even say goodbye?"
"I was going to write," Terry offered weakly.
"So, you off to L.A.?" she asked as she sat beside her friends.
Terry nodded. "You off to Dallas?"
"No. My boss wouldn't give me the time off so I quit my job to come to this stupid reunion. Now I'm just sitting here with my life's savings, wondering where to go."
"Why don't you come with us?"
"Now what would I do in Hollywood?" she asked with a smirk.
"You like to drive. Maybe you could be my chauffeur?"
"Terry Michaels, if you keep hiring all your friends you're going to run out of money."
"I doubt that," Dan spoke up. "He doesn't have that many friends.
The first thing to hit when Terry got home was an article in a sleazy tabloid. A 'reliable source' told of how movie star Terry Michaels was found in the middle of the men's room floor at his high school class reunion, having sex with another man. There were even photos with faces turned away from the camera and with body parts strategically blacked out. Oddly enough, neither body looked at all like Terry, both men being way too heavy and the men's room looked more like a highway rest stop than a high school bathroom.
No sooner did the news story break than Pete showed up at the door. "I've called Helen Fisher of Channel 6," he said. "We'll deny everything. I've already talked to our lawyers about a lawsuit. And you," he said pointing to Dan, "lay low for a while. How about a vacation in South America?"
"Pete," Terry said. "It's true." He then proceeded to tell the story the way it actually happened.
"Oh great. This is just hunky-dory. And I thought you might have the sense to keep him out of trouble," the manager said to Dan. "Well now that your career is about to go down the toilet, I hope you're happy. I'll see if I can cancel that Channel 6 interview."
"No, leave it," Terry said. "I'd like to go on record and clear this up."
"Okay, let me write you a script," Pete began.
"No. This time I'll do my own speech." Pete squirmed nervously.
Three hours later, several Hollywood media people descended on Terry's beach house. They set up for the interview on the terrace overlooking the ocean. Once everything was in place, the cameras started rolling and the questions began. "Terry, I'm going to get right to the point," the perky blond woman said. "What was your reaction to the headlines in this mornings issue of True Hollywood Gossip? These are pretty strong charges."
"Of course I was dismayed," Terry responded. "I wish these so called journalists who specialize in sensationalism would print the truth once in a while. But of course we know that isn't as exciting as what they can make up. Just last month I read that I was abducted, taken to another planet and replaced by an android."
Helen laughed musically. "So there's no truth to this story of sordid bathroom sex at your old high school?"
"Well there's always a tiny grain of truth," Terry admitted. He could see Pete shaking his head violently and waving to him from off camera. "I did recently attend my high school reunion. While there, I had an argument with the class bully who is undoubtedly the source of this tale."
"But you didn't make love to another man in the men's room?"
"No, of course not. If you look at the photos printed with the story, you can easily tell that's not me. I'm happy to say I look a damn sight better with my clothes off." Terry and the girl both laughed.
"Any truth that you're considering legal action?" Helen asked.
"What would be the point?"
"Terry," the girl said, leaning forward. "There have been rumors floating around about your sexual orientation ever since gay actor Wesley Strothers was found here at your beach house, dead from a drug overdose. Do you have any comments on that?"
Pete mouthed "No," from his place beside the camera.
"Yes," Terry said. "Helen, Wesley and I were good friends. I loaned him my house while I was filming on location. He was very depressed and when the media found out he was gay, he took his own life. It was a very sad situation and it bothered me a lot."
"Yes, indeed," the woman sympathized. "Many people were saying the two of you were lovers. Any truth there?"
Terry glanced at Pete who had a stricken look on his face, then at Dan who stood by with his usual calm demeanor. "Were we lovers? No, I guess not. I think Wesley was too much in love with himself and too insecure to ever be in love with anyone else."
Helen Fisher perked up with a huge grin, realizing she was about to get the scoop of the decade on videotape. "Are you saying you had an affair with Wesley Strothers?"
"I'd prefer to let him rest in peace," Terry evaded.
"Terry, are you gay?" The woman leaned forward, wetting her lips in anticipation.
"Yes, I am." Pete slapped his hand to his forehead and collapsed in a deck chair. Dan stepped over to him, reaching down to massage his obviously tense shoulders, but he pushed the man away.
"Are you concerned about how this admission might affect your career?"
"No," Terry replied. "My private life has always been private. I don't think who I go to bed with has any bearing on my ability as an actor. And besides," he smiled. "It hasn't hurt Harvey Fierstein."
Later that day the three friends were crowded around the TV set in the den. "Well, there you have it," the woman said as she turned toward the camera. "Terry Michaels, a very private man making a very public statement."
"Harvey Fierstein? Jesus!" Pete yelled as he snapped off the TV. "He's always been gay. He never played a love scene with Kathleen Turner. This is just great."
"Calm down, will you?" Terry said. "It's over now. Let's just go on from here."
"There is no here! You've just retired. Don't you understand? You've ended your career."
"I don't think so, but if I have, well, I've made enough money and at least I'm happy."
"Well, I'm not." Pete grabbed his brief case and stormed out of the room.
"Well what do we do now?" Dan asked as he and Paula sat on the couch staring at Terry.
"I'm not sure. I think I need a little time to sort this out." He got up and left the den, walking out onto the terrace, then down the steps that led to the beach. Terry thought about the mess he might very well have made of his career. He thought about the betrayal that Pete felt. This hurt quite a bit. He and Pete had worked together for a long time. As he walked toward the ocean, he thought about the scene from the old version of "A Star Is Born" where James Mason took a similar walk, continuing out into the ocean until he drowned. But Terry wasn't James Mason, nor was Dan, Judy Garland.
He came to a spot on the beach, just high enough to be out of the waves, and sat heavily in the sand. Pulling up his knees, and resting his chin on them, Terry began to think about his past actions and to reflect on what he had done. In coming out so publicly, he may well have signed the death warrant on his career. He knew how closeted most gay actors were in Hollywood. He knew there was a reason for this. Many of the producers, or at least the backers were somewhat homophobic. Oh, it wasn't an evil or deliberate attack on gays, as with jerks like Mike Myers, but a much more subtle undermining. It occurred with such innocent finesse as using the term 'faggot' as a derogatory slam by a macho character to one of less stereotyped masculine proportions. And the reason behind this subtle homophobia was the industry's perception of the market. If middle America, the movie going public didn't want to see fags on the screen, then by God, there would be no fags on the screen unless they were drawn as humorous or pathetic caricatures.
So it wasn't the industry, but the market that was homophobic. The industry was just bowing to the whim of the public. But why was the market homophobic? Was it because they didn't understand homosexuals? People often fear what they don't understand. But then this led to a circular argument. People were homophobic out of fear and ignorance. They had little experience with gays so they weren't likely to change. But if the media thought they didn't want to see realistic gay characters, then the media wouldn't supply any. And without such role models how was the public ever to learn enough to get past their fear and prejudice? Maybe if people like Terry, well known, established people came out, this would help defeat the stereotypes and gradually work to change such attitudes.
He began to feel a little better about what he had done. Perhaps this was the right action after all. Of course he wasn't so idealistic as to believe that this wouldn't affect his career. Of course it would. It had to. However, he had already proven himself. Surely he wouldn't just disappear from the public eye. But things would certainly take a new direction, and that was okay, too. He wasn't sure Pete would like this, or even be able to keep up, and that was sad. And yet, Pete had to do what was right for Pete, even if that meant a parting of the ways. For a brief, fleeting moment Terry wondered who Harvey Fierstein's agent was.
"Mind if I join you?" a voice asked. Terry looked up to see Paula standing beside him.
"Please do," he said with a smile.
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," she said as she sat beside him, close enough for their shoulders to touch.
"Yeah, I am. For once in my life, I really am."
She leaned her head on his right shoulder. "I'm glad." They sat in silence for a while watching a pair of gulls winging out over the water. As the cool, evening breeze began to come in from the ocean Terry shivered a little, but he was happy to know it was from the cold air and not from inner turmoil.
Just then a warm blanket dropped down, wrapping itself over the two friends. "I thought you might be getting cold," Dan said as he sat on Terry's left and the three of them huddled together. "By the way, Pete called."
"And?" Terry asked nervously.
"And he wants to know if you'd be willing to play Jean- Michel in a road company of 'La Cage Aux Folles.'"
"Wouldn't you know," Terry said with a laugh. "A musical about openly gay people and I get the part of the straight boy. Well, at least it's live theatre. Maybe he's finally starting to listen to me."
Terry sat in the middle with his best friend leaning on him on one side and his lover leaning on the other. Together they watched as the round, red disk of the sun sank slowly into the water. In the quiet of the evening they could almost hear the hiss of the ocean as it made contact with the fiery orb. Terry thought about his position, sitting in the middle and acting as the support of the two people he loved the most. In the past he had always thought he was the one who needed the strong shoulders to lean on. It was a pleasant revelation to find himself in this new position of strength.
Terry closed his eyes and concentrated on the special place he reserved deep inside, but he was surprised to find a radical change. It was as if the long, cold, ice age winter had finally retreated, leaving in its wake the spring thaw. He looked all around, but there was no longer any sign of the enveloping blanket of white. The tundra had at last disappeared. In its place was a covering of dark, fertile earth, bursting with new life. A blanket of green wrapped itself quickly around his soul. In the center where he had always remained alone and protected, he now stood naked and vulnerable. But he knew he could survive, because he was no longer alone. He had the support of Paula and Dan there with him.
Paula turned her head and pressed her nose to his cheek, gently kissing him. At the same time Dan breathed a soft sigh of contentment. Terry smiled to himself. All in all this wasn't a bad place to be.
End of Dancing on the Tundra
Thanks you for reading my novel.
Please send you comments to bertmck@aol.com