Is the closet getting smaller?
Back in the 1989 I dated the nephew of a famous Country singer for about 8 months. Needless to say this was a closeted relationship on his part. Also that year was the wedding of one of my brothers and I convinced my "date" to accompany me as a guest to what would be one hell of a bash at the reception party & he agreed (at this time in my life no one knew I was Gay except close friends & family).
At the reception my oldest sister approached us (I should add here she is one of the biggest witch's to ever exist) and in front of a large crowd as condescending as she could be asked me who my "friend" was? As in my fashion I let her know he was not a "friend" but my boyfriend! And as with most big family gatherings (at least in my experience) mayhem ensued. My "date" left, never to be heard from again until today.
I have had the same mailing address in Kentucky since the early 80's and I have a cousin that forwards my mail to me here in Florida. When I received todays mail there was a letter in there from that long ago "date" from that fateful night.
The letter is quite long and goes into detail what he has done from then till now. He did tell me that that fateful night did change his life forever as he went back to Tennessee and spent a couple of years of what had happened that night and that slowly over the years he has been able to come out to close friends and family & was greatly surprised at the reactions he received.
He has dated several men over the years (openly now) and in 2008 met the man of his dreams & they have been together ever since.
Also in the letter was a invitation to their wedding to be held in New York this July and a note saying that he would like to rekindle a old friendship.
Nothing in this world, I repeat nothing could stop me from attending this wedding.
I just thought I would share this because it hits so many notes on where we've been and where we're going.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Thank you for sharing it with us, and I hope you have a wonderful time at the wedding.
Lead or follow, no matter; I can do either with equal aplomb.
(Teaching C&W and dancing APD squares will do that for ya 
)
As to dancing? I'll defer to you.
And that sometimes it happens at the strangest moments! I'm glad that everything worked out for the guy and that there truly gets to be a happily ever after!
Each coming out is unique in its time and place, yet something we all share in common. Young gays these days amaze me. Coming out in my teens was unthinkable for me. In many ways, they are helping to create the future for all of us. Or at least redefine the present.
Have fun! 
I left everyone behind - of my three best friends, Friend #1 stopped talking with me when I came out to him and disappeared somewhere, I have no idea what happened to him, Friend #2 became born-again Christian and Friend #3 just kind of withered away on the vine. I will sometimes do a google on them or look on Facebook but I have never gone to a reunion, and never will, and have left that town behind, really for good, IMO. I no longer talk to anyone (outside family) from those days or my boyhood home.
And I seem to be one of the few who didn't end up clinging to religion and actually made it out and did relatively well. Some did better than me, some did not do as well as me, IMHO. Some actually died, of various causes. 
Which is never news I welcome, no matter who it is.
