Proper Treatment 正當作法/ Sexual orientation
2010-12-20 07:10

Dylan and I were walking down the street, hand in hand as usual. We had just arrived in downtown Taitung and checked into a small, friendly hotel. We had cycled 150 km that day, past whitewater rafting, wooden lunch boxes, and water flowing upwards. Now we just wanted dinner and rest.

A scooter rode up to us and stopped. “Excuse me, where are you from?” said the guy in Mandarin.

I tried to decide which combination of Taipei, Princeton, Boston and Berkeley we were from. “Um, we’re from Taipei, so we probably won’t be able to help you with any directions…”

“That’s okay. I just saw you holding hands—are you—”

“Yeah, we’re gay (tongzhi).” I realized that holding hands in Taiwan meant more now than what it used to.

“So, um, I figured that you probably aren’t from around here. I am that way too (wo ye shi). It is really nice in Taipei, isn’t it, people are more open there in the big city. Locals here don’t hold hands. It was sweet and all, seeing you two.”

He rode away. My hand was warmer than ever.


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