One of my favorite customers at the video store is 6-year-old Joey. He’s a bright, bubbly, little red-head with freckles. You know — the kind that will melt hearts in about 15 years. Joey’s parents are not what you would call "in the majority". His natural parents are both gay and share the responsibility of molding him into a decent human being. So far they are doing an outstanding job.
I know Joey’s dad much better than his mom. His dad is a bright and practical recovering Mormon (like myself). He’s very masculine and ‘normal’. Basically, if you never saw him with a smile on his face while he has his arms around his boyfriend, you would never be able to tell that he was one them there homosexuals.
On most weekends, Joey spends his time with his dad in a big house with the most loving and caring household you’d ever visit. There is one thing though about living in this household that is finally becoming apparent in Joey’s personality. He is picking up on all the digs and funny comments that float around the household and from the friends of the household. Yes, as a comedian, I can’t help but make little harmless put-downs to friends and family, so I’d like to think that I helped teach Joey his developing comedic ways.
Oh, you know this is leading to a story, don’t you?
Joey came in the other night with a couple of his cousins and one of the household members to get movies for a Friday Night Film Festival. As 6-year-old boys goes, Joey does exhibit a couple of standard traits. One of them is a move I like to call, The Constant Nag. He will try to wear you down to his way of thinking. It’s a fun ballet to watch especially when his dad comes into the store with him. So Joey is grabbing video boxes off the shelf as he always does and shoving them in everyone’s face screaming, "I wanna watch this one!"
Disney’s Ice Princess is on the discount shelf. You know the story. Awkward, bookworm girl founds strength and self-esteem through some sporting event, blah, blah, blah. Anyway, he grabs it off the shelf and shoves it in the housemate’s face and screams, "I wanna watch this one!" Patiently, she looks down at him and says, "No, Joey. We’re getting something else. Besides," she points out, "you’re not an ice princess".
And Joey, without missing a beat, says, "No, but my dad is."
At 6, he already has the natural timing, the sardonic delivery and the flippant attitude of a professional, road-weary stand-up comedian. Gay? Straight? Who cares how he’s wired. The boy is going to be a comedian when he grows up.
I couldn’t be more proud.
Listening to: Ballerina - Leona Naess
I like to sleep on my side. After settling in, I bury one side of my face into the pillow so it feels like I have a patch over my eye. That’s when the pirate dreams start.
