“
Heartbroken, I came out to my mother. She actually swooned for real.
“Gay, like Freddie Mercury?” she asked, fanning her face with a copy of The Guardian. I nodded dumbly. “But he died of that AIDS, Solomon, darling.”
_That_ AIDS? Do you mean the bad AIDS, Mother?
I said nothing.
“And Rock Hudson. He died of the AIDS too.”
Honest to God.
I said, “That was a long time ago, Mum. And they were famous.” As if being famous were a requirement.
She said, “Well, you’ll just have to find yourself a girlfriend.”
Erm, hello? I’m gay.
”
”