A Question of Manhood

Despite Lindsey and Melanie's most diplomatic efforts, the taunting at Gus's school continued. It had now spread beyond just Gus to include all of the children who hailed from Liberty Avenue, the area known for its gay population, and children spawned from alternative families. Brian had held his tongue when catcalls of queer became commonplace on the playground. However the shit hit the fan when Gus became involved in yet another physical altercation with a classmate. This time when principal Bailey called for an emergency meeting with the parents of Gus Kinney, against the better judgment of Lindsey and Melanie, Brian decided to attend as well.

Melanie, Lindsey, and Brian passed through the metal detectors of Washington Public School. "Who are you here to see?" one of the guards stopped them.

"We're the parents of Gus Kinney. We have a meeting with principal Bailey." Lindsey said.

The two guards glanced at each other, and snickered. "The office is down the hall, last door on your left," one of them pointed.

Melanie, Lindsey, and Brian proceeded down the empty hallway where the sounds of frustrated teachers attempting to settle down unruly children could be heard behind the large wooden classroom doors. Damn James Stockwell for including Gus in his personal vendetta against Brian. One word from the mayor, and Brian Kinney's son had been blackballed from every decent private school in the Pittsburgh area.

"We wouldn't be here if you had let me hire a tutor to home school Gus the way I wanted to." Brian fussed.

"School is more than just English, and mathematics Brian. It's also about socialization, and interaction with other children." Melanie reminded him.

"Socialization, and interaction. Is that what they're calling getting jumped on on the playground these days?" Brian said sarcastically.

"Shhh! Will you two try to keep your voices down?" Lindsey said.

"So what the hell happened this time?" Brian asked.

"We don't know. Gus isn't talking, and principal Bailey wouldn't go over anything with us on the telephone." Melanie said.

"Well I hope Gus lead with his right, and followed with his left like I showed him." Brian flashed a sardonic grin.

"See, that's exactly why we didn't want you here. You think everything can be solved with your fists." Melanie said.

"It's always worked for me. You should try it sometimes, counselor." Brian suggested.

"Please keep your voices down." Lindsey shushed them again. "I hope Gus is going to be alright with Tony."

"Well he couldn't stay at home by himself now could he? Justin is at school, and everybody else is at work." Brian reminded her.

"We could have left him with Michael." Melanie said.

"No way." Lindsey disapproved. "Have you seen some of the weirdos that come into that comic book store?"

"You call them weirdos, Mikey calls them his customer base." Brian chuckled. "Don't worry. Gus will be fine with Tony. The worst that can happen is that Tony will fill him full of ice cream sundaes from the Gazebo."

No one bothered to look up from their desks when Melanie, Lindsey, and Brian walked through the office door. "Excuse me, we have an appointment to see principal Bailey. We're the parents of Gus Kinney. " Lindsey announced.

That being said, all heads lifted. Brian pretended not to notice the whispers of the clerks, and other students waiting for hall passes. Suddenly the door of principal Bailey's office opened. "Mr. and Mrs. Kinney….er, Ms Marcus…I mean Mr. Kinney.." He struggled for the appropriate titles to greet them.

"I'm Mr. Kinney, this is Ms Marcus, and this is Ms Peterson." Brian helped him out.

"Everyone, please step inside my office." Principal Bailey closed the door behind them, and took a seat behind his desk. "Thank you so much for coming on such short notice." he said.

"Why exactly are we here?" Brian cut to the chase.

Principal Bailey took a deep breath, and chose his words carefully. "Yesterday there was an incident on the playground involving Gus, and one of his classmates, Britney Talbot. Several of the children reported seeing Gus grab the little girl, and kiss her."

"Is that what you hauled us in here for, a kiss between two first graders?" Brian rolled his eyes.

"Not exactly, Mr. Kinney." Principal Bailey said. "The kiss was a French kiss."

"WHAT?"

"Mr. Kinney, Ms Marcus, Ms Peterson, this school has a zero tolerance for any kind of sexual harassment. I'm suspending Gus for three days, and I'm going to recommend your son to our school psychologist. I'm also legally bound to report this to the Pittsburgh Child Protective Agency." Principal Bailey said.

"All that over a kiss?" Lindsey couldn't believe her ears.

Principal Bailey leaned forward, and folded his hands on his desk. "Ms Peterson, tongue kissing between first graders may be acceptable on Liberty Avenue, but not here at Washington Public School," he said. "Mr., and Mrs. Talbot are threatening to sue the school board if something isn't done. We've already heard from their lawyer this morning…"

"And now you're hearing from Gus's attorney!" Melanie interrupted him. "This isn't about sexual harassment, and you know it. If this same incident had happened between two children with straight parents there wouldn't even be an issue. This is nothing less than bigotry, and homophobia at it worst."

"Ms. Marcus I assure you that the same actions would be taken against any child who accosts another child." Principal Bailey said.

"Bullshit!" Brian begged to differ.

"Apparently you people don't understand that I have to consider the safety, and wellbeing of all of the students in this school." Principal Bailey explained. "Several of our parents have expressed their discomfort with having their children intermingling with children of gay parents. They're afraid that what your children may witness at home will somehow manifest itself back here at the school, and adversely affect their children. What happened between Britney, and Gus is not helping an already strained situation."

"What makes you think that our children are any more sexualized at home than the children of straight parents?" Brian challenged him.

"I have no control over how people think, Mr. Kinney. I'm just doing my job. I'm sorry." Principal Bailey said.

Lindsey was in tears when the trio left Washington Public School. For the first time the despondent mother was questioning her decision to have had Gus. Melanie had been dead-set against having children all together at first, especially when she found out who her partner had chosen to be the father of their child. Brian Kinney, a.k.a the whore of Babylon? Perfectly chiseled nose, and gorgeous hazel eyes aside, what woman in her right mind would want to pass along those promiscuous genes? Lindsey had been forewarned that the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree. Still who would have thought that Brian's ways would surface in his son at such a tender age?

Melanie climbed into the back seat of the jeep next to Lindsey, while Brian took his seat behind the wheel. "It's going to be alright, sweetheart." She attempted to comfort her wife.

"What if principal Bailey is right? What if Gus really did molest that little girl?" Lindsey anguished.

Brian turned on the engine, and pulled out of their parking spot. "You're all making a big deal out of nothing. Gus is only six years old. Little boys kiss little girls all the time," he said.

"They don't kiss with their tongues, Brian!" Melanie reminded him.

"So Gus is advanced for his age." Brian laughed.

"You think this is a joke Brian? Didn't you hear what was said? Our son is being recommended to the school psychologist, and his school principal is reporting our family to the department of children and family services. What if they want to take Gus away?" Lindsey wept.

"No one is taking Gus from us." Melanie assured her. "The worst that can happen is that Gus gets the help that he needs.."

"Will you two stop talking about my son like he's Jack-the Ripper? Gus doesn't need any help! He only kissed a girl!" Brian was becoming increasingly frustrated.

"This is all your fault, Brian." Melanie placed the blame.

Brian looked at her through his rearview mirror. "How the hell is it my fault?"

"You, and your devil may care attitude about sex." Melanie hissed. "God only knows what Gus saw when he was in Chicago with you, and Justin, and Tony."

"I've never done anything inappropriate in front of my son, and fuck you for implying that I have!" Brian snapped. "How do I know that Gus hasn't walked in on you two while you were muff-diving….?"

"STOP IT, BOTH OF YOU!" Lindsey ordered. "Pointing the blame isn't doing Gus any good. What matters now is that our son is in trouble, and we don't know why."

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Thump…thump…thump….thump….

"Gus, please stop kicking the chair." Tony said without looking up from the stack of papers on his desk.

Gus sighed loudly, and shifted in his seat. "Dum-dee-dum, dee-dum, dum-dum…"

"I can't concentrate when you're singing, Tiger." Tony said.

"I wasn't singing. I was humming." Gus corrected him.

"Then please hum quietly." Tony continued on with his work.

"What are you reading?" Gus asked.

"A contract." Tony said.

"What's a contract?" Gus asked.

"When you make a deal with someone, both people sign a paper agreeing to that deal. That paper is called a contract." Tony gave his briefest, Reader's Digest explanation.

"Tony."

"Humm?"

"Have you ever kissed a girl?"

Tony looked up over his wire frame glasses at Gus. "What?"

"Have you ever kissed a girl?" Gus repeated the question.

Tony thought for a moment, then proceeded with caution. "Sure," he said.

"Did you like it?" Gus asked.

"It was ok." Tony said.

"Did you stick your tongue in her mouth?"

Tony sat upright in his chair, and removed his glasses. "Gus, why are you asking me these questions?"

"Well, did you?" Gus pressed the issue.

"Uh….I…I don't know, I really don't remember." Tony lied. "Why?"

"Tyler says that when you kiss a girl you have to stick your tongue in her mouth." Gus said.

"Who's Tyler?" Tony asked.

"He's in my class." Gus said.

Tony's brown eyes narrowed. "Is that why you were suspended from school, you've been kissing the girls?"

"It was just one girl." Gus raised his pointer finger.

"Oh shit!" Tony leaned back in his chair, and began to laugh.

Gus, however, did not find it at all amusing. "It's not funny!" the little boy frowned.

Tony quickly pulled himself together. "I'm sorry, Tiger. You're absolutely right. It's not funny. So who is this special girl? What's the lucky young lady's name?" he inquired.

"Britney Talbot." Gus said.

"Britney. That's a very pretty name." Tony smiled.

"She's not pretty, she's ugly. She wears braces!" Gus growled.

Tony broke into laughter again. "If she's ugly, then why is she your girlfriend?" he asked.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Gus insisted.

"So why are you kissing her?" Tony could barely catch his breath.

"BECAUSE I HAD TO!" Gus said.

"Let me see if I've got this right. Britney is ugly, and she's not your girlfriend. So why did you have to kiss her?" Tony couldn't understand.

"TO PROVE I'M NOT QUEER!" Gus said.

Tony stopped laughing. Suddenly it wasn't funny anymore. Gus was now near tears. "Come here, Tiger." He beckoned for Brian's son.

Gus promptly rounded the big mahogany desk, and climbed onto Tony's lap. "They won't let me come back to school, Tony." The little boy whimpered, and laid his head on Tony's chest.

Tony kissed the top of Gus's head, and hugged him close. And so it all begins. Poor Tiger. From here on out everything he does will be a question of his manhood. Boys don't wear pink, only girls play with dolls, sissies cry when they fall down, and the last thing that you'd ever want to be called is queer. Tony searched for something brilliant to say that could help ease the growing pains of a six year old boy. "Hey Tiger, I've got an idea," he said.

"What?" Brian's mirror image looked up at Tony with those big hazel eyes.

"Let's go over to the Gazebo for an ice cream sundae." Tony said.

NEXT WEEK: Man-On-The-Side

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