fruit fly
by angelica osborne
afro and how sometimes I combed
it all out and put these lil’ hair bows
in there and I thought she’d die, she
“Handjobs across america”
laughed so hard. She kept saying,
“Down there? Down there?” and
then she’d guffaw, tears streaming
“Doesn’t everybody become more efficient and down her cheeks. It made me so
chipper at their jobs after a wonderful night of
proud and relieved. She ended up
making love?”
leaving immediately for what rea-
son I don’t know, but I missed her. I’d
never had an adult treat me that way
before. I know now that there were
I saw the film Milk last night, and some boundaries crossed there,
hopefully most of you did, too, but I also know these are situations
because it is really powerful stuff. I caused by people having to hide
was struck at how pertinent the film their true selves. She had lived as a
is to us today after the passing of black woman in the closet and in the
Prop. 8. At that time, the big debate South through the 60s and 70s, and
raging in California was over Prop. was desperate to have someone to
6 which would have not allowed tell her truth to. I was 15-years old
any gays or their supporters to be and needy for someone to accept
teachers. 30 years later and people me as I was.
are still trying to use the schools I watched Brokeback Mountain
to justify their bigotry. Like being last month and fell in love with the
straight makes you a better teacher? movie all over again. It does such
Are you kidding? When I was still in a good job of showing what hap-
school in the 80s, I had a few crappy pens to not only people in love, but
teachers and they were all straight, everyone around them, when they
as far as I know. Whooping kids are forced to live a lie. It’s not people
was considered going above and who have sex a certain way who
beyond at our school! All our teach- make bad teachers or bad Christians
ers kept a huge wooden paddle in or bad anything. It’s people who
their desk. There was even a rumor don’t have love who make bad com-
that the principle had an electric
fruitfly@ragemonthly.com
municators or parents or teachers.
paddle that electrocuted you as It’s so mind boggling how someone
you got hit! I remember my music can think trying to keep love out
teacher from first through sixth grade, Mrs. Parker, I only had one gay teacher that I knew of my of someone’s life will make them a better person, if
she was the worst. In her classroom there were all whole life. Mrs. Jackson, our history teacher. She was anything we need to encourage each other to love
these cool instruments on the shelves, bongo drums, so cool because she talked to us more like young more! Doesn’t everybody become more efficient
xylophones, flutes, etc. but out of six years of school- adults than kids. I remember her telling us what and chipper at their jobs after a wonderful night of
ing I don’t recall a single time we ever got to touch autoerotic asphysixiation was and the whole class making love? Aha! Well, I think we have the problem
them! They were probably screwed into the wall just just hung on her every word. She was the first adult figured out here. Not enough climaxes makes some
to make sure no child ever received any enjoyment lesbian I ever knew; a big, bold, black lady. When I first people mad when other people are having them. You
from them whatsoever. We did the same thing every came into her class, she didn’t like me and was kind know what we need? Remember the “Hands Across
class, sit on the carpet and sing while she played the of mean to me, which wasn’t unusual—I was one of America” campaign in the 80s? We need to revive it,
piano. If you got off the carpet or talked or didn’t sing, those loud, giggly, teen girls who grated the nerves but as a “Handjobs Across America,” get a daisy chain
you got a paddlin!’ I will never forget in third grade, of authority. However, that winter I dated her son for going across this great land of ours, to raise aware-
this little girl named Mona Capps was talking during a couple of months, so she started taking a liking to ness of how many people are not whacking it when
the song. So Mrs. Parker came over and told Mona to me. I remember once her calling me into her room necessary while making the rest of us miserable with
give her her shoe, which were those Candies wooden at lunch, holding her heart, eyes winced in pain, she their sexual frustration. Why didn’t I get into politics?
sandals with the big buckle and then she whooped said, “Oh Angie, make me laugh.” I had to think really I could change the world with this stuff. I’m gonna
her with it! She spanked the kid with her own damn fast, she was hurting so bad I couldn’t stand it. I knew work on the HJAA campaign, ya’ll make sure you see
shoe! That woman probably kept hundreds of young I could say anything with her, so I told her how that Milk and that you talk about it, a lot! “Hope is never
prodigies from entering the world of music. after I got out of the shower I had a big ol’ red twat silent.” - Harvey Milk.
32 RAGE monthly | FEBRUARY 2009
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