Last shared eye contact at the Menlo Park Caltrain Station, me on the platform, you in the bike car.
I am an African-American, very happy to be living now in a place that seems ever so more aware and kind, a better place to live, I could not find. And here's my short tale of an encounter that I had that I hope you'll publish, that reflects the “Good” that’s happening now within our time, in the free expression, as I did find and I hope to share, what one young man, who said Hi to me, in passing, on the bike-car of the Caltrain, whose conversation, with another, I would overhear, for this story I'm inspired to share, everywhere!
Harvey Milk Day was officially celebrated, to my mind, no more profoundly, than in the spirit of his legacy that lives on, which was reflected on May 19th, 2010, on the 8:40 PM Caltrain heading south that evening; in the free-spirited conversation of two young men, as they entered the bike car at the Redwood City station, that I would overhear. Engaged in conversation as they entered, appearing handsomely casual and well groomed, intelligent and from all appearances, straight; which I would not have assumed otherwise, until I would overhear one say, that he has a cousin who lives in S.F., on Valencia Street, near a restaurant; the name of which I did not catch; what I did catch, were this young man’s next words, expressed in the most nonchalant manner, “that he had eaten dinner at this restaurant, with his boyfriend.”
Milk’s vision inspired equality, living on in this young man’s free expression of himself, as everyone could overhear, made it clear, to me, Harvey Milk Day, officially celebrated on May 22, had come early, a was being celebrated , here , on the Caltrain, in that bike-car, reflected within that young man’s conversation, overheard. Happy Birthday Harvey Milk, for this young man and all those like him, expressing their freedom with a natural pride, instead of having to hide.
Because my station stop was approaching much too fast, this would be a missed connection, sadly but alas, for I’d never get to tell this young man, who spoke having a cousin who lives in San Francisco on Valencia Street, near this restaurant which he had dinner in with his boyfriend , this young man spoke so freely of on the train, I may never see again, yet wanted him to know, his freedom of expression, that I overheard, that touch into my heart, may not have been, if Harvey Milk had not done his historical part, to open all our minds and hearts, as I wondered if his freedom to express himself now as he did, he knew was built upon much struggle on what has past; Milk’s vision and a legacy I pray will always last.
I am a man looking for a man (m4m)
Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
Wednesday 19 May 2010 9:10 PM
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