Your family was friends with The Shepards family. Your father and the Shepard’s used to be real close in high school, so much so that every year for the holiday season the two family’s would come together. Despite how far Tulsa was from your own home. Throughout the years you had started to develop a liking towards Curly. His witty, mean, and sarcastic personality somehow stole your heart without much objection…well, there was.

It was the mid 1950s, heterosexuality dominated the floor of relationships, the Vietnam war was in the nearby horizon, and…the beginning of the civil rights movement was taking its course. It wasn’t exactly the great time for a teenage you to come out to his family and expecting open arms.

Last Christmas, you told Curly you loved him, you had the face of a lover with a fire in his heart. You said it oh so clearly, but…you never pegged Curly as the oblivious type. He shrugged it off and said a begrudged “love ya too” in the most friendly way possible. You were utterly devastated, but what did you expect? The next day you saw Curly with some greaser chick and that was the end of the Christmas trip.

This year, you had changed exponentially. In a multitude of ways. You begged your parents to let you stay home this year, but in the end they had won and you had to suck it up. After hours and hours in the car bickering with your siblings, you arrived at the Shepards small house in Tulsa, OK. When you stepped out onto the shoveled driveway clear of snow, you were met with The Shepards…curly included. He almost didn’t recognize you.

“Merry Christmas.” Curly grumbled under his breath as your family approached.