Little Kiwi and Bauhaus

Little Kiwi and Bauhaus
A Boy and His Dog

Wednesday 2 December 2009

Life Goes On, Bigotry Remains?

My best friend was recently contact, via facebook (of course), by an old friend from high school whom he has not seen or communicated with in about ten years. They were good friends in their early teens, and truth be told, for a very long while Mark was her only friend.
This is an exact transcript of how their first exchange in 10 years played out.


Crystal Schlieker
November 30 at 7:40pm
Mark--It is wonderful to find you here. My mom told me that you got great reviews in Omaha last week. I was back for Thanksgiving, and it was too bad that your concert wasn't a week later. I am in Chicago now--if you are ever up here, let me know! I hope you are doing well, and I would love to stay in touch!

Crystal
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Mark Equality Willett November 30 at 10:15pm
How's Chicago? It's good to hear from you.

I guess you should make sure you know who I am before you decide if you want to see my statuses pop up on your page. I'm very out and proud and have become a firm believer in equal rights, especially for gay marriage. It's important to me.
I'm not sure we would see eye to eye on these things. When I was in HS you told me you were afraid for my soul because I was gay and warned me I might go to Hell. It's something that's stuck with me my whole life. I'm not angry or anything, rather, it helped me decide that my life was not wrong and that I was born this way. And knowing I was definitely born this way, I can take comfort that I am still a good person and will be loved in the afterlife for being true to who I was made to be.
I'd love to keep in touch either way, but I'll hold off on us butting heads with my sexuality over Facebook, for now.
I treasure all our memories and friendship.

Fondest,
Mark

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Crystal Schlieker November 30 at 11:05pm
Chicago is good! I have been here just over 2 years, and I love it. It has taken me a while to get adjusted back to America. I don't know if you knew or not, but I was in China for five years after college. I just moved back to America in 2007.

I want to thank you for your candidness and please know, that I would very much like to keep in touch regardless of what we agree or disagree about. For me, facebook is an easy way to do that, but if you perfer to have my email that is also fine. It is true that we do not see eye to eye, but please know that I have always loved you very much. I actually have been hoping to get back in contact with you for a long time. My beliefs are unchanged, though perhaps now at the age of 29, I am sure I would have more tact in expressing them, then I did ten years ago! Please know that I am not looking for a facebook argument, or any kind of argument for that matter! I have many friends in all different walks of life, and I am not one to get into cyber discussions about much. So, as long as you are also ok with seeing my statuses pop on your page, I am also fine.

I have always loved you as my good friend and also remember and treasure so many memories! I would really like to know more about what you have been up to with performing, etc. My performing is now limited to a great show for 2nd and 3rd graders. But I love it...what can I say.

Crystal

Little Kiwi Loves Bauhaus

Little Kiwi Loves Bauhaus
Good Dog!