The Truth Will Set You Free

Matt Edmonds
November 9, 2012
F-block

The Truth Will Set You Free

“one today is worth two tomorrows; and farther, have you somewhat to do tomorrow do it today” (Poor Richard)

The gentle sound of cars whooshing by was heard only by a single soul at the Edwards’ house.  It was late at night and no one was awake except for Ty.  His younger sister was breathing softly in the room across the hall, dreaming of pretty ponies and playing dress up with her dolls.  His parents had gone to bed long ago since they needed to be up early for work.  Everything was normal, quiet and calm.  This was the time Ty enjoyed the most.  Time when he could stare at his dimly lit ceiling and lose himself in his thoughts.  He knew he had a big test in Spanish on the preterite the next day, but that was not on his mind.

The thought that nagged Ty the most during these late hours was what his friend, Wyatt, had said at lunch today.  

“Dude, look at what that new kid from Germany is wearing today.  I bet he’s a fag.  Damn, it annoys me when a guy wears shorts above his thighs,” was what Wyatt had said.

Ty did have to admit to himself that Fabien had a flamboyant style, but that was in American standards.  Kids at his school did not understand that not everybody around the world looks the same or has the same style as Americans do.  Ty admired the boy’s fashion and found that it made Fabien a more appealing person and complemented his quiet yet bold character.  Ty did not mean to think in this way, and was annoyed at himself for noticing these aspects about people because it made him feel weak.  However, the thoughts came naturally to him.  He did not dare share any of these observations and reasonings with Wyatt, knowing that he would receive the same ridicule that he too was probably gay for being soft and into fashion.  As Ty lay in his warm bed, he chastised himself for not speaking up to defend Fabien against Wyatt and not being confident in who he was.  Yet, Ty felt even more guilty about not being able to tell his closest and most trusted friend the fact that he was gay.  That night he made a promise to himself to tell Wyatt who he truly was before they went their separate ways in college.

Hesitation in being who he truly was plagued Ty throughout the rest of high school.  He found himself lying awake and reprimanding himself for his lack of self-confidence to speak up and defend his beliefs when situations like the one at lunch the other month came up.  As senior year progressed, Ty began the intensive process of applying and getting into college.  He became totally immersed in the process and set his social life and friends aside.  Ty’s hard work and diligence ultimately paid off when he received his acceptance letter to his dream school, Yale, and he had also been given a generous financial grant in reward for academic achievements.  Surges of satisfaction pulsed through his body as Ty finally felt proud of himself for the first time in his high school career after opening the acceptance letter.  Furthermore, he believed that his life was taking a turn for the better.

With the closing to his senior year, Ty’s parents threw him a surprise graduation party.  The people there were mainly his extended family and a few kids from school that his mom thought were his close friends.  In reality, they were just acquaintances because Ty did not consider anyone a close friend those days.  In any other circumstance, Ty would have been livid with his mom for surprising him like this, but his recent success in school diverted him from feeling that way.  He was actually having a good time socializing with his friends and discussing which colleges they had chosen.  Then his grandmother tapped him on the shoulder.  Ty turned around with a grin left over from a joke made by one of his friends and gave his grandmother a hug.

“Hi Grammy Joan! How are you?” Ty exclaimed.

“Oh everything is just dandy, and this party is great.  I am so glad that your mother put this together.  I feel like I haven’t seen my favorite grandson in ages!  You have grown up to be a wonderful young man,” said Ty’s grandmother.

“Thank you grammy.  Listen I have to run, the cake buzzer is ringing.  Find me when you’re leaving and I will wish you goodbye.”  He gave her another hug and was pulling away when she responded, “Hopefully our next little family reunion will be in celebration of your wedding.  But I am getting ahead of myself, go get your cake!”

As Ty walked into the kitchen, he played with his grandmother’s comment in his head.  Thinking

to himself, “What if I never have a wedding?  What am I doing?  My family doesn’t even know who I truly am, and I’m about to leave them for four years.”  In the midst of all his anxiety, Ty began to feel a void reappear deep in his stomach.  It was the same feeling he had at the beginning of this school year when he could not tell his friend Wyatt the truth about being gay.  Immediately, a wave of depression overtook him with the realization that he had never lived the life he had wanted to in high school and had never been honest to his best friend.  Instead of coming to terms with himself and trying to fill this void, Ty made the decision to put off coming out and to do it in college where, he thought, people were more accepting and mature about these kinds of things..

Ty’s last summer in his hometown flew by with his enrollment at an internship at the local hospital for college credit and taking extra classes.  Before he knew it, Ty found himself sitting in his first class at Yale the following fall, feeling ready to start his life anew and get a college degree in medical science.  He even made good friends with a girl in his organic chemistry class named Suzie.  Over the course of the first semester Ty and Suzie became very close, but never became anything more than being friends due to the fact that Ty was gay.  One day Suzie and Ty were  having lunch under a tree.

“Ty, I have a question for you,” Suzie began.

“Ok well wh-,” she cut him off.

“My cousin’s wedding is this weekend and I was just wondering if you would be my date to it, you know like as a couple,” she quickly blurted out.

“Oh umm,” Ty was taken back by this sudden offer.  It was true that he found Suzie to be cute and have an attractive personality but he couldn’t say yes.  Ty knew what he had to do.

“Suzie, I have never told anyone this before, but I am gay,” he said in a hushed voice expecting her to laugh or make fun of him.

“Really?  Ty, I feel so honored to be the person whom you trust enough to tell first.  Don’t worry about the wedding.   I’ll ask Steve or somebody.  Anyway, my next class is in two minutes,” and with that she rushed off leaving Ty alone.  

However Ty was lost in his emotions.  Although her reaction was brief, it was her positive response to his coming out that sent a surge through him.  However this time he felt a surge of self-worth and fulfillment overtake him.  Ty was ecstatic, and felt even better than when he got into college.  In fact, he was so excited that he immediately called Wyatt.

“Hello?” Wyatt answered the phone.

“Hey, Wyatt guess what?” Ty quickly yelled.

“Whats up, dude?”

“Wyatt, I’m gay,”  Ty responded confidently.

“It’s about time my man,” Wyatt simply said.  

Yet, Ty knew Wyatt was grinning just as much as he was.  Ty finally felt comfortable with himself now that he had come out to his best friend.  He felt as though he now had nothing holding him back in life and he was reborn into the person he was meant to be.

Ty had gone from calling Wyatt to everyone in his family, and from there everyone that was in his phone’s contact list that day he had come out to Suzie.  Every person responded with the same positive attitude and even some tears of joy from his grandmother.  Two days had passed at school and it was Friday night.  It was late and raining outside that night asTy left the school library.  He collected his papers and textbook under his arm, zipped up his raincoat, put his head down and began walking in the direction of his dorm.  Even though it had been two days since he had come out, Ty still felt the adrenaline pumping through his body, anticipating what his life held in the future as he began walking on the sidewalk puddling with rainwater.  He began to think about his dream job of being an organic chemist when he heard a shout, “Hey buddy, look out!”  Ty just had time to look up and jump out of the way of an oncoming biker speeding straight for him.  He hit the ground hard, and when he opened his eyes he was on the ground and he had dropped his book and papers.  Frustrated, Ty began to gather his soggy papers and locate his textbook when he was blinded by the LED headlights of an oncoming car.  Ty had no time to react and the car struck him at full speed.  He was killed on impact.

In the split seconds before his life ended, Ty saw his grandmother, Wyatt and Suzie.  They were all standing there and smiling at him, and, although it had only been four days, Ty knew he had truly lived as himself without holding back.  His only wish was to have come out sooner so that he could have experienced being himself a little longer.