“Colombia! How exotic! I love their coffee. That’s a long way away from Mary’s Land. Do you miss your home, Simon?”
I’m about to speak when Paul interrupts me.
“No, Janice, not Colombia, South America. Columbia, Maryland.”
“Oh!” she says, embarrassed.
She asks what I would like to drink. Paul and Latica already have sodas in front of them, so I order my usual Sprite. She smiles and walks away.
There’s a weird tension in the air, and we sit in awkward silence. I can’t stand it any longer.
“Paul, wasn’t it rude to talk to the waitress that way?”
Since I’ve put my foot in my mouth twice already, the third time’s the charm, as they say.
“No, Simon. She’s not a waitress. I mean, she is a waitress, but she is also my mother.”
“But you called her Janice,” I say. “I’ve never met anyone who calls their mother by her first name.”
More awkward stillness follows, but, fortunately, Latica breaks the silence.
“Yeah, it’s weird, and it takes getting used to, but you will. I found it strange at first too.”
I slowly nod, and Paul looks away. I wonder if I hurt his feelings.
“Look, Simon,” Latica says, saving the day. “We’re weird. We are socially awkward. We are the outcasts. Are you one of us or not?”
I answer with a big smile. Paul and Latica smile back.
Paul’s mom brings my Sprite, and we order lunch. Burgers and fries all around. The tension dissipates, and I relax watching the planes take off and land. It’s a pleasant atmosphere to have lunch at the airpark. The weather is perfect; it’s not too hot. Autumn will be here soon, and that’s my favorite season. I’m having a nice time.
Janice brings our plates of food. “Now, you kids, enjoy! Best burgers in all of Mary’s Land.”
I tell Paul that I love the way his mom calls Maryland, “Mary’s Land.” Paul, however, does not love it.
“The state is called Maryland,” he says, “not Mary’s Land.”
Paul tells us that Janice took a weekend job at the airport cafe after his father died.
“We don’t need the money. I assume she did it as a way to share in my interests. Yeah, I suppose it’s a nice gesture when I stop to think about it. I should be more understanding.”
He seems to think that over and takes a bite of his burger.
Before things get awkward again, I blurt out, “Want to know something weird about me?”
“Sure,” Paul says sheepishly.
“I have two lesbian moms and a straight dad,” I say. “And I recently came out as gay. Recently, as in only a few days ago. I was terrified for years to admit that I might be gay because I was afraid people would judge my moms and me too. I imagined the horrible things they would say, like my moms turned me gay or that I was what happens when you don’t have a mother and father in the home. Stupid, right? I know this now, but it was a process to get where I am today. See, I’m a weirdo too! So, guys, this is me…coming out to you. I’m coming out to my friends.”
“Well, duh, Simon! Of course you’re gay,” Paul says. “You spend the whole sixth period staring at that boy, PJ. I’m sure the whole damn class knows you’re gay.”
“Oh, crap! Is it that obvious?”
“Uh, yeah,” he says between bites of his hamburger. “But no one cares. It’s drama class, after all. I’m probably the only straight guy in the whole class. I have no idea why I even took the class. I’m not interested in acting, you know. But, as for you being gay, I think it’s great. The world is way too overpopulated. You help keep the numbers down. Too many babies are being born these days. I’m looking at you, Mormons.”
We all laugh, and Latica quietly reminds Paul that if I want kids, I could hire a surrogate. Paul shakes his head.
“Yeah, I suppose he could,” he says, “but I don’t think Simon’s the type. The only thing he seems to want is that boy, PJ. And he wants him bad! Really bad!”
