STORIES
135 - It’s Spreading
2007
Thursday afternoon ...
MEZ:
… It's about time you got back. Look Jesse, I'm sorry about
last night. You were just so loud and I ...
JESSE:
What? Oh yeah - forget it. I gotta go.
MEZ:
No really, I want to apologize for sending you ...
I mean, it's your room too, but sometimes you're ...
JESSE:
I don’t want to talk about it. Just leave me alone.
Jesse leaves.
MEZ:
What’s wrong with him?
ZYFAN:
I would not worry about it. Jesse seems to take
pleasure in being disagreeable.
IO:
May the genie ask a question?
MEZ:
Sure, have a seat. What's up?
IO:
You are happy, yes?
MEZ:
I guess.
IO:
So you are gay?
MEZ:
No. No, I’m not. What do you mean, am I gay?
IO:
The genie is confused. Is gay not another word for happy?
MEZ:
Yes, but it means something else too.
KARANTHIR:
… I’ve arrived just in time to be thoroughly entertained.
Please Mez, do go on. Explain all about being gay to Io,
and us too. Perhaps you know something we don’t.
KARANTHIR:
… Ah my prince, it’s been way too long.
ZYFAN:
It has only been a few hours ...
KARANTHIR:
A few hours is too long a wait for this ...
MEZ:
Hey, there are other people in the room. Do you have to do that here?
ZYFAN:
I am sorry Mez.
KARANTHIR:
Yes our apologies. Although I'll never understand why a simple
kiss could make you so uncomfortable. But don’t let us interrupt,
your genie is waiting to hear all about being gay.
MEZ:
Isn’t this more your area of expertise?
KARANTHIR:
Moi? What would make you say such a thing? You’re a little confused, aren't you? I’m not gay, I’m bi, remember?
ZYFAN:
Karanthir behave.
IO:
Mez?
MEZ:
Well, Io it’s like this … gay can mean happy ...
KARANTHIR:
We’ve already established that. Now tell Io what it also
means. Why not draw him a picture?
MEZ:
Will you shut up?!
ZYFAN:
Perhaps I can help? Gay does mean happy, but it also
refers to people who are attracted to and chose to be with
other persons of the same gender.
IO:
Thank you. Mez, there is one more question the genie would like to ask - is being gay bad?
MEZ:
Uh no. It’s just not necessarily the most popular way to be, sometimes. I don’t mean in your realm, I mean here.
KARANTHIR:
You mean here, in San Francisco?
ZYFAN:
Karanthir, please.
IO:
Is that why, all last night, Jesse kept saying he wasn’t gay?
Even when he awoke this morning ...
MEZ:
Wait - what?
IO:
Did the genie say something wrong?
MEZ:
I hope not ...
KARANTHIR:
Pardon me but, are we to understand that you and Jesse,
ourJesse, woke up together?
IO:
Yes. Is that unusual, after spending the night together?
KARANTHIR:
On the contrary, it couldn't be any more right. Perhaps you
could share with us exactly what went on all night that
compelled Jesse to continuously deny being gay?
IO:
He was drunk, which displeased Mez. Io took Jesse away.
He became amorous and kissed the genie, and more.
MEZ:
Oh - my - God!
IO:
That is the same thing Jesse kept saying over and over again.
MEZ:
This is bad. This is very very bad.
IO:
But Io only did as you commanded when you wished
for the genie to keep him occupied.
KARANTHIR:
Oh Mez, who knew it’d come to this, pimping out
your genie just so you could get a good night’s rest.
MEZ:
Shut up!
IO:
You are angry. Io begs forgiveness.
MEZ:
I'm not angry. I just ... Look, if something happened between you
and Jesse, it’s between you and him. I want nothing to do with it.
ZYFAN:
Io, come with me and I will try to explain further. Living
among humans is quite different than being with elves.
ZYFAN:
... You must remember how young they are.
MEZ:
No wonder he was in such a bad mood. He's gonna
be even more impossible to live with now.
KARANTHIR:
You do realize what this means, don’t you?
It's spreading.
MEZ:
What’s spreading?
KARANTHIR:
... Think about it. We’ve got Jesse now - he’s one of us.
KARANTHIR:
... Do you recall the time when you and I came awfully close to ...
MEZ:
No, I was drunk.
KARANTHIR:
So you say. Tell me - do you ever regret not allowing your curiosity to be completely satisfied? Perhaps on one of those long, hot, sleepless nights of yours.
