Off to the races, or my son goes to the Gay 90's (sort of)

Joe College, a.k.a. the middle son, says he might not attend the freshmen events scheduled tonight for his U of M dorm (lame?). Instead, he announces, he might go to the Gay 90s, a Minneapolis gay bar, drag club, and general tourist trap downtown.

We pounce immediately. I say, "Please don't get picked up by an HIV-positive guy." Dad, more sensibly, says, "Are you going in a group?" There's some eye rolling, and it finally emerges that he's been there before, he doesn't like guys but enjoys the drag shows, is going with a group, and will only drink Coke, Sunday being an 18+ night at the club.

He thanks us for dinner, and charges out the door. As he passes the open window he shouts, "Of course, I might just go to the dorm event, too." And then he climbs on his bike and is gone. His Dad and I look at each other with love, wonder, and amazement at what we have wraught. Have we given him what he needs to navigate a very strange world? Have our Unitarian values rubbed off on a non-joining guy? I don't know.