It Takes a Family
"My family? I am continually upset by reading on internet snippets I see, that my father flew into a rage when he learned I was gay, and that my family accepted it but grudgingly. Nothing could be further from the truth. Mom and Dad and the rest of the families accepted each of my first two lovers as they were family too. I recall one time Jeff Graves and I were at the family home (Mom & Dad's place) for some reason, and Jeff ended up in a lengthy conversation with Dad. Jeff had lost his father at an early age. From all appearances Dad seemed to enjoy the talk, and on driving back to our place Jeff said how much he enjoyed talking with Dad.
As another example, by the seventies the family had grown so large from my sisters having children that we drew names for presents on Christmas. And so, each Thanksgiving, Jeff had his name put in the hat for the draw and got one Christmas present for the name he drew and received one present from whomever drew his name. And the family assembled at Mom and Dad's on Christmas Eve to exchange the presents. It was always a wonderful time, and Jeff was fully accepted as one of us. On the flip side I sat Seder with Jeff Seelig and his family numerous times and to mark Yom Kippur too.
I read somewhere that Mom and Dad cut me out of their wills because I am gay. That's nonsense. I told Dad to do it during a phone call I made from the Orange County jail. I was being sued by an alleged victim's family, and that lawsuit could have potentially reached Mom & Dads' assets, my inheritance, so I told Dad “To remove me from any will."
Me and Jeff with Mom and Dad