2004-05-21 - 11:58 a.m.

Hellooooooo Kind Reader-Friends of Live @ Lakeridge,

I apologize with busloads of vigor for my continued absence, but let me just say that it�s been a crazy ride�

I�ll begin by quoting a letter we received in the mail from SUE

(Formerly of �BILL and SUE�, now of �SUE, on her own�).

I won�t give you back-story yet, I�ll bring you right in at the end, and then I�ll tell you the story backwards. That seems more challenging and fun. Stay with me. Okay, back to the letter.

DIRECTLY QUOTING FROM THE LETTER:

Dear Lv2Write00 and Her Girlfriend/Same-Sex Partner/Lady-Lover/Meal-Ticket,

I am writing this letter because I still feel that you both are my friends. You have supported me when I first came out, and I felt your support through some pretty difficult times.

I realize that when I called you that night that I was going through my darkest time, I didn�t take into consideration that you both have your own lives and might be dealing with your own stressful issues. Please accept my apologies for my behavior and know that I think about you both and would love to hear from you.

I am also writing to share some GREAT NEWS with you. I have met a very, very special woman. I have been seeing her for the past three weeks. She is extremely loving, caring and beautiful, inside and out. We have a great deal in common.

I so wish that you could meet her and share in my joy. I understand if you feel that this is not a good idea at this time, but maybe in time we can rekindle our friendship. It would mean so much to me to share this beautiful and exciting time with friends who have shared some of my journey.

You are in my thoughts and prayers and I hope that all is going well.

God Bless,

SUE

END OF DIRECTLY QUOTING FROM THE LETTER.

Beginning of BACK-STORY:

Okay kids, here�s the thing. Remember the night that SUE took an overdose of pills and called and it was totally out of hand and I was forced to take A GIANT STEP BACK from the whole situation? Remember that?

Well, MONTHS PASSED, we�d been totally wrapped up in ALL THE OTHER DRAMAS and GOOD THINGS going on in OUR lives� and then, one day about a month ago, SUE CALLED� out of the blue�( I wasn�t home) and My (not as drawn-into-it) Girlfriend/Same-Sex Partner/Lady-Lover/Meal-Ticket/Enough Already� answered the phone� and SUE was �sorta-really pissy� about �Why haven�t you girls called to see how I was doing?�. blah, blah, blah (ish)� all very �ME-ME-ME� and My Girlfriend/Same-Sex Partner/Lady-Lover/Meal-Ticket kinda-sorta let her have it (ish).

She mentioned to SUE that there were OTHER THINGS going on in peoples lives and that SUE�S DRAMA had been too overwhelming and messy and we had enough on our plates and wished her well and SUE got �all pissy� in return with a big �Fine! I�ll never bother you with my life again. Fine! You�ll never hear from me again. Fine�.� (you get the picture).

Well�. I certainly NEVER would have been able to tell SUE (in such a concise, clear, clean, honest way) that her behavior had been unacceptable� but MY LADY could. And she did. And, damn it if I didn�t feel BAD for a while about it. I felt BAD for SUE, and yet� COME ON! ENOUGH!!

Prior to the whole �I�m GAY� thing, we were just NEIGHBORS. Neighbors that would wave from across the street or call out �Good, how �bout you?� in reply to a question, but NOT CONFIDANTES with nothing but time on their hands to sit around and wallow in the drama, both real and created. That wasn�t the level of our acquaintance. Ya know?

Soooo� anyway� I�d been feeling sort of a little guilty, still hoping that SUE was okay and that she�d found people and friends and a better therapist, when THE LETTER (directly quoted above) arrived. How about that???

So, to recap: SUE has found someone. I�m happy for her.

My Girlfriend/Same-Sex Partner/Lady-Lover/Meal-Ticket is MUCH BETTER AT SETTING BOUNDARIES than I am. She�s a keeper.

In other news, and to bury the headline:

Our FILM was accepted into its first FILM FESTIVAL this week! Yipee!!

More details on that, but it�s pretty righteous.

Hope you are all ROCKIN� IT and being KIND to yourselves.

Xoxoxo more soon.

Me.