Rainbow in the closet

  
   As a child, I was always fascinated by the rainbow. I always used to think what created those visual delights. The Holy Bible stated that God sent a rainbow in the sky as a promise that there won't be any devastating floods to destroy the Earth. So, the rainbow thus became a symbol of hope for me, similar to a silver lining, after the storm.
   But then school happened and the magic of the rainbow lost its meaning. Science proved that the rainbow is no more nature's phenomenon.
   Until, I met two people who re-created the magic in my life.
   
Francis
    
   I met Francis in the year 2005. We both were enrolled in St. Domini Savio Boys Home. He had been there for the last three years whereas it was just my first year. But this barrier would not have affected us.
   We hit it off instantly! Our friendship grew thick and we became inseparable. One couldn't be seen without the company of the other. Even when we completed our 10th and left Savios, we stayed in touch (although not so much during our junior college years. After all, one has to battle the world to fit in)
   It was after 2009 that our friendship grew again. I visited his place, met his mother and became a regular at meals. We started hanging out again, roamed around the city and it was then that we discovered more about ourselves.
   The turning point came in our lives when he suddenly told me that he is gay. His decision to came out of the closet shocked me. In all my years of being with him, I never guessed that he had such a big secret, locked inside him.
   This confused me even more. A question arose in my mind: Why would he suddenly come out like that to me? What made him so confident that I would have accepted his new identity? What about his family? What about our common friends? How they would have handled it? What about his colleagues at work? How they would have handled the situation?
   Initially, I was surprised. But then, I questioned myself: WAS IT RELEVANT?
   The answer was so simple that it made me question my integrity: OBVIOUSLY NOT. 
   There was no change in the equation of our relationship. He continues to remain the same way like the day I first met him. We still hang out, still go out together, still laugh and are there are for each other (Although, I must say, I missed him when he conveniently forgot me when he met the love of his life, Jason)
   We have been there for each other during the darkest period of our lives - his mother's and my father's death. I stood should-to-shoulder with him when he battled Jason's tyrannical mother. He was gutsy enough to even move in with Jason, right under his mother's nose. We constantly advice each other, scold each other, criticize each other but that's what friends are for, aren't they?
    No doubt, Francis was a born fighter. He first fought his unreasonable granny, his weird brother and even Jason's mother to protect his love from her torture. He sacrificed his sleep, his money, his social life to keep his family afloat amid a severe financial crisis. His sacrifice was never in vain.
   To me, him being gay, doesn't matter. He often shares stories with me regarding his troubles with Jason. I have even accompanied them on dates and played a mediator during their quarrels. Eventually, Francis came out in the open to all our friends and his brother. To our immense relief, no one, NOT EVEN A SINGLE PERSON, turned their backs on him. In fact, they all welcomed him with open arms and even look after him & Jason with protective instincts.
   Truly, Life is beautiful - a lesson which Francis and I learned together!
   
While I experienced the positive side of society while being friends with Francis and Jason, I was destined to meet one more person due to whom I would be exposed to another facet of societal attitude.

Sanket

    Shortly, after completing my HSC exams, I got a job in a call center. It was for a US-based process and that meant, graveyard shifts, sleeplessness and no social life. It is not only me but countless others working who face the same health problems. In order to cope up, we tend to develop our world with people who initially are complete strangers and then our work colleagues. 
    It is here that I met Sanket.
    I had no recollection as to how we started talking to each other. The next thing I remember,both of us sitting together and taking calls, taking our breaks together and even, going home together.
    Turned out that Sanket traveled all the way from Ambernath. He spent 5 hours everyday traveling all the way from his home to our workplace. After log-off at 9:30 am in the morning, we would rush to his college in Malad where he would be till 2 in the afternoon and then back home by 7. He was like a superhuman.
    I vividly remember that day. It was during the Ganesh festival of 2009. I suggested that instead of going home, we walk around in Chakala and visit the local Ganesh Pandals. That was the first time I had chosen to spend time with him. I still recall the conversation that followed:
    "So, Sanket," I said, "I heard that you are still going to college. Where?"
    "Yup," he replied, "Atharva College in Malad. I am doing a diploma course in Fashion studies."
    "Fashion," I said, trying to sound witty and smirking at the same time,"That means you too are going to end up gay like those fashion designers." I pressed his shoulders hard.
    "Oh, I'm gay," he replied, stating it casually as if it was a matter of no importance.
    I immediately withdrew my hand from around him. It all happened in a couple of milliseconds.

 'Oh Damn! He is gay!!! But wait, why did I remove my hand from around him? He must have noticed it. He must have felt bad. I shouldn't have done that. Must apologize.'

    I apologized to him and promised him that this would never be an issue between us. He was my first gay friend. All along I had read and supported that everyone should have equal rights. Now, when I got the chance to prove myself, why was I getting cold feet? I immediately resolved in my mind that I will be a true friend to Sanket and look after him.

    Little did I realize that I had to stand the test of time to prove my friendship.

    What I had missed about Sanket, was apparently no secret to others. They must have guessed it based on his effeminate behavior and mannerisms. Very soon, people started noticing that we spent more time together than the others. There were whispers about us in the corridors. People in the office had started doubting my orientation as well.

    Very soon, we became the butt of all jokes! I came to be known as the 'boyfriend' while he was the 'girlfriend' in the supposed relationship. People openly laughed and pointed at us. From our dressing style to our walk, they seem to notice and label almost everything as queer behavior. To top it all, news broke out that Sanket was studying Fashion. That was the cherry on the cake that they needed. Very soon, they urged Sanket to walk like a model in the office while the song 'Fashion ka jalwa' played on someone's phone. Sanket would happily oblige to it and even did the catwalk as they wanted.

    I seethed with suppressed rage. I wish I could shut these people. We are living in the 21st century and yet their thinking turned out to be so primitive!! My friendship with Sanket was labelled as 'Gay-pyaar' and other such names. I thought I would succumb to their filthy attitude if not for Sanket.

    I often wondered why didn't Sanket react. Why didn't he said something to those guys who made fun of us daily. But the way he handled the situation surprised not only me but the others as well.

    Sanket rose like a phoenix - beautiful and magnificent. He never let those taunts bother him. He walked with his head held high, sometimes even smiling on the jokes cracked on him as we passed by. Once I asked him , why didn't he ever said anything to them, to which he replied, "I am gay. It doesn't matter to me what they think. Let them think what they want to."

    He continued on this mantra which very soon dawned on me as well. I found the courage to overcome the prejudice meted out to us . His ideals became my refuge. His handling of the situation emboldened me to face their vile attitudes. His strength became my strength. His non-violent, always smiling face, calm attitude became the 'cool' factor in the organization. And very soon, all those criticized him, became his hardcore followers.

    He won the world over by just being himself.

    Looking back, I feel Sanket was the first person to whom I looked up to. Coming from a Marathi-medium school, he went on to the master the language of English and joined a call center where they recruit the most fluent speakers. That was a mark of his dedication and hardwork.
    A lot has changed now. Sanket no longer works in a call center His parents finally discovered his sexuality which led to his father throwing him out of the house. Hardships still follow him but he continues to fight his battles every day.

    Both these guys, Francis and Sanket (these are not their real names) , are ordinary guys who have lived extraordinary lives so far. I had the honour of being called their best friend. I must say, they taught me a lot. Despite being gay, they showed courage under fire and displayed immense strength in any situation no matter what.
   They are the rainbow in my life. They are the dash of colours that brighten up my mood and have helped me overcome my faults and dark times. I really thank my hero, Jesus, for not letting me judge them. After all, I am no better.
    Life is what we make of it. If I had been a homophobic person, I would have never learned those things from them or create memories of beautiful moments spent together. Section 377 can go to hell!!!
    For life, it doesn't matter whether you straight, gay, lesbian or bisexual. It is your character, your strength that matters. That is the measure of a person.