Happy Saturday! Or really, almost Sunday. I’m only now posting because most of my day was spent attending my older child’s Irish dance recital. For those of you following along at home, yes, my kids do a lot of performing arts. Mainly my son, who is in more things that you can shake a stick at (mostly at school). I think we’re done now, though. School gets out in a few days.
Tomorrow is Father’s Day in the US. I have a complicated relationship with “parent days” as well as with my remaining parent. My snippet is still from Nightsong, and in this scene, Nate is talking to his parents. They are not terrible people, but they are the sort of folks who had a specific plan for Nate’s life—and he didn’t follow it.
“Shove it, Dad. You were just as bad. Neither of you listened to what I wanted. Even when I started studying opera—at your request, not mine—you thought it meant at the very least I’d be performing at Carnegie or the Met, right? Not some tiny little company made up of the sorts of gay people you’d like to pretend don’t exist. Be queer but not too queer. And for sure, don’t do anything that might spoil your brother’s reputation.”
Rainbow Snippets is a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ authors, readers, and bloggers to share 6 sentences each week from a work of fiction—published or in-progress—or a book recommendation. Feel free to join in!
Debbie McGowan
You tell him, Nate! Grr.
It’s Father’s Day here too, but…well, Nige is enjoying it. 🙂
AM Leibowitz
Yeah, I try to keep in mind that my kids like this day. *Their* dad is awesome.
josexpressions
I totally get where Nate is coming from, in my own life. Well done.
AM Leibowitz
Ugh, I’m sorry that you understand. Me too. :/
Louise Lyons
Well, said Nate. His dad sounds like mine – mapping out rules for everyone and being astounded they don’t want to follow them *grinds teeth*
AM Leibowitz
Yeah, that’s about right. Nate’s dad has Ideas. Well, so does his mother, but hers are different.
P.T. Wyant
He sounds a touch bitter. I’m guessing that his brother is the “golden haired” one.
(I’m not the daughter my mother wanted, so I can relate.)
AM Leibowitz
Yup. That’s about right. The good news is, his brother didn’t want that honor. He’s a decent guy.
Jana Denardo
Sounds like a complicated relationship here.
AM Leibowitz
It really is.