Three Perspectives pt 1 Rod & Tio intro
It was Sunday afternoon Rod and Tio were enjoying their off days. Their shared apartment space was small and mid city. From the islands they may have been but they were city folk , after years moving around with one another one might say they became brothers of a kind. After years of living with one another, and perhaps the fact that they shared a one bedroom apartment, there was little between the two monkeys that could be categorized as secrets. But after so long there was still much for the two to learn of one another and it started with words uttered in half voice. Rod was sprawled out on the couch while Tio sat on the carpeted floor as they watched their favorite show "Lock Box".
Tio- So what your saying is
Rob- No , I don't care that your gay
Tio- your from the same island as me so...
Rod- so what ?
Tio-The same island where people who are different get banned or worse
They grew up in a place with much hate or perhaps fear towards anything different. Anything unalike the norm was seen as evil , negative , deemed unholy. It was a religious group of village inhabited islands. Tio and Rod made the decision to leave for a better chance at living life closer to that of what most dream , and what better place to get closer to a dream than a city built on them. Tio on the other hand had more than one reason to leave.
Rod- Did you think I didn't know you were gay when I moved in with you
Tio- I don't know , I didn't think it was something you could tell
Rod- maybe It wasn't but after almost a year of living together I'd have to be pretty stupid not to notice all the times you stair at guys walking down the street , when you get weird when I don't wear pants , or when you
Tio- I get it
He blushed almost nervously but it faded.
Rod- Look , I don't care who you sleep with man , just keep being the same guy I moved in with and we're good
Their show went to commercial break and as it did Rod got up from the couch making his way to the kitchen.
Tio- Thats ... thats good to hear, but I cant believe...
Rod- what? That every one from that island isn't a complete bigot or homophobe
Tio- well yea
Rod- your from the same island and your gay , is it so hard to believe that more than one person is a little open minded
Tio- I'm not gay because I'm open minded, it doesn't work like that
Rod- I know that , you know what I mean man , just chill
Tio got up from the floor before continuing the conversation he felt it wrong to continue without being in within distance . He met Rod in the kitchen as he began making some unnatural unnamed sandwich concoction.
Rod- but what I don't understand is why are you telling me this now
Tio- what do you mean
Rod- you could have told me when we moved to the city together, last week when it was your birthday , Christmas, you've had plenty of time to come out to me
Tio- its not easy coming out to people
Rod- bull shit, its 6019 you must have told plenty of people before me
Rod finished concocting his meal before returning to his seat on the couch. Tio followed behind him but stopped at the foot of the couch as it felt wrong to retake his seat on the floor with the conversation still going.
Tio- no I haven't
Rod- you must have told someone else, your 24
Tio- we moved here 4 years ago, for 20 years I was living on an island where being gay could literally mean the end of life
Rod was mid bite into his sandwich but the gravity of Tio's honesty halted any further eating. He set his plate down on the coffee table and muted the TV.
Rod- I'm sorry man
Tio- its all right
Rod- but your saying I'm your first
Tio- what
Rod- first person you've told
Tio- yes
Rob scratched his head as he thought.
Rod- so does that mean your into me
Tio- what , no , why would you even
Tio started to walk away but was stopped by a sudden grip on his tail. Rod pulled him onto the couch beside him.
Rod- I'm kidding man , I'm kidding