THE NARRATIVE ARC
In Search of the Bright Lights in the Big City
Starting a new life with my gay boyfriend would require a leap of faith
Thirty years ago, I moved halfway across the country from my hometown in Western Canada to the country’s biggest city, the bright lights of Toronto. And the queer mecca.
It was on the cusp of something big. I felt like I was too.
I convinced my new boyfriend we should make the move. Although it was more along the lines of, “I’m moving to Toronto in the spring and I would love for you to come with me.”
We were both in the process of ending our previous relationships and felt like we could start being open about ours. Both of our exes had it figured out before we said anything but still, we kept our feelings in check. This move would be a chance to start our new life together, with a clean slate.
When he told me yes, he’d join me, we hugged and then kissed in the front seat of my car, the first time we shared a passionate kiss.
We spent the next few months wrapping up our lives to build a new life in a new home in Toronto.
As our moving day approached, we could barely contain our excitement. We aspired to live in New York, the East Village…
