"I hate our president!" Kevin cries out and sits down next to Scotty on the couch. Scotty looks very entertained. He was deeply buried in a book, studying, when Kevin entered the room.
"Any particular reason?" Scotty asks.
"Is there any reason to not hate him?" Kevin counters. Scotty wiggles his head in an agreeing nod. "No, I just read the newspaper, and that guy seriously ticks me off." Kevin sighs.
"Oh…" Scotty says. "The hey why don't we just hate and discriminate all gay people thing?" Remembering reading that article this morning.
"Yeah. Why should I, or we, be forced to live and serve a country, when that country wants to make my whole existence miserable?" Kevin asks.
"Maybe we live our lives wrong?" Scotty asks, more to provoke and get along an interesting debate than to make Kevin feel bad. Kevin's response is exactly what Scotty would expect. He vigorously turns to face Scotty, speaking quickly and well-articulated.
"How could it be wrong when that's the only way I feel good about myself?"
"Because there is something bad inside you, that can only be driven out when you accept Jesus into your heart." Scotty says in his softest voice. Kevin smiles in reply, knowing why Scotty argues with him. It's definitely not since they have a different opinion here, because they violently agrees in this issue, as well as in pretty much every political issue.
"There's something wrong with our democracy when it's used as a play ground by wealthy white middle-aged heterosexual men." Kevin sighs as he leans back in the couch.
"You know you're all those things, except one."
"Middle-aged?" Kevin quickly replies.
"Well, people like Condoleezza Rice are alibis for the diversity within the leadership of this country, justifying how thousands of American citizens feel left-out of the system, not believing they can improve their own rights and conditions." Scotty declares.
Kevin is quiet. Lately him and Scotty have discussed different political issues and it's felt so liberating. He hadn't even noticed how much he enjoyed venting his thought and how trapped he felt with not being able to with Jason. There's a pang in his heart when he thinks of Jason. He'd left yet another message and then had dinner with Scotty. Available, caring Scotty, ready to discuss politics and to listen to Kevin.
Maybe they did agree nine times out of ten, and that tenth time, they could discuss the facts and their thoughts around it, and then agree to disagree, with no hard feelings.
Kevin found this to be very ironic, looking back on their arguments when they had been together. It was almost like this was practice in handling a conflict between them in a mature and rational way, in case in the future they would… No! Jason. Think of Jason. Kevin told himself.
"I want a snack." Scotty says. "Are you up for some raspberry melon smoothie?" He asks Kevin before getting up.
"Always." Kevin answers, watching Scotty disappear into the kitchen.