My Brother Ben and I talk about Me Being Gay

I really like having my 15-year-old brother Benjamin stay with me; he's such a cute kid with a great personality. While I was at work today, he stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Nix and hung out with them. We had dinner with my sister Amy and her husband Tom and watched my niece Carly act like a silly almost-2 year old girl. I love the sound of a child's laugh.

On the way home, Ben called his friend to tell him he couldn't go to a concert they planned on going to on Friday night. His friend said that was okay and said, "I'm sorry that your mom is in the hospital." Ben and I didn't know that our mother was in the hospital, so I called Dad to ask him what happened. When we learned that our mother had a dislocated disk, we were a bit relieved but nonetheless still worried about her. In my conversation with Dad, I told him that we had eaten dinner at Amy and Tom's and we were going to go shooting and four-wheeling with them on Sunday. Dad, the ever strict Mormon, said, "You shouldn't be doing those things on that day." I told my dad that I loved him and hung up.

Immediately after my flip-phone closed, Ben, in an irritated voice, asked me why I told Dad about our planned Sunday activities. I told Ben that Dad would forget and really doesn't care, and Ben said:


Well, he didn't want me to stay with you.

What?? .

He told me that I should stay and Grandma and Grandpa's house. But I told him that I wanted to stay with you. He tried to argue with me, and even Mom said that I should stay with Grandma and Grandpa. When I told Mom that I wanted to stay with you, she said, "Okay."

Why do you think they didn't want me to stay with you? .

I don't know...

Do you think it's because I'm gay? .

Probably. He told me that here in Utah, you live a different lifestyle.

What did you think he meant by that? .

I was anxious when I got here cause I didn't know what to expect. I've never met a gay person before so I only had stereotypes in mind. When I got here, I realized that, well, you're the same and Brian is really cool.

So you were expecting Brian to come out in an apron and say with a lisp, "Dinner's ready!" .

Haha! No! I was worried at first but not anymore because there's nothing weird about you and Brian.

Last night, when all my friends came over for dinner, we're you weirded out then? .

I was at first, but then I saw how you all talked to each other and I thought, 'This is how my friends and I would act with each other. But that Scott and Nathan kid...they are really gay. (Imitating) "I have to go to the gym!"

Yes, they are really gay. .