The title of my memoirs blog, "Reflections of a Rock Lobster", comes not from the B-52's directly - but from an autobiography that connected to me so deeply when it hit the shelves back in 1981.
Aaron was a boy - exactly the same age as I was - who fell in love with another boy during his final year of high school. He decided to take his boyfriend to his Senior Prom and was refused by his principal. The book is his story. His story of coming out. His story of his love for new wave (especially the B-52's). And his story on how he stood strong and proud against adversity and was a better man for it.
I went through several copies of this book. First I read it over and over and over. It was my bible during that year of transition, as I left home and got my first apartment at just 18. Then, as I poured myself into the developing Gay Community Center in Philadelphia in its new location at Camac & Locust - I realized how I wasn't alone. There were thousands of kids like me, all alone and looking for support. Looking for a network. I bought copy after copy and gave it to other teens like myself, just so they wouldn't feel alone anymore.
Let me back up a second. I need to explain how it began. I'll do that in the next post.
1 comment:
I remember this story but I never read this book. Now I really want to get my hands on this book. Thanks for highlighting it Robert. Your blog is really great, I love it and I will be sure to link to it on my blog!
Post a Comment