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Since
Clemon Sturges left
Middleburg, a small town
in Loudoun County,
Virginia, to live his real
life in New York, he has
never returned to visit
his family, and he
hasn't heard anything
about them. The
relationship was over.
However, last week, after
his nightly performance as
the non-binary Shix Love
in the drag show at
Stonewall Inn in the
Village, Mx. Sturges
encountered an old friend
from his hometown by
chance in front of the
venue. They went to have
some drinks in the next
bar, and during the
conversation, his friend
revealed to him that
Clemon's father had
passed away nine years ago.
That night, Mx. Sturges
couldn't sleep, and
since he didn't turn
off the light in his room,
he stared at the ceiling
all night. It displayed,
like a movie screen, all
his life before leaving
his family.
The day after, with the
phone number that his
friend provided, he
contacted his sister,
Jennifer, whom he
hadn't seen for more
than ten years. The
conversation was very
difficult because many
wounds never healed. Jen
said that their father
died because of the
sadness after Clemon left
home. He replied, saying
that his family knew about
the false life he was
living, and he needed to
be true to himself: a free
person.
Jen still said that their
mom is well despite early
signs of dementia, and
that she (Jen) had married
and had two kids, Dorothy
and Herman. "Who is
the guy?" asked
Clemon. Jen replied that
her brother didn't
know him. Benson, her
husband, arrived there
after Clemon left.
A few moments later,
Clemon asked if his sister
was happy with her life.
Jen replied that she was
trying to do the best she
could, and the two started
a conversation about the
meaning of happiness.
Then, she talked about
other people who had died,
gotten married, divorced,
and others who had also
left the city. The cool
conversation started to
warm up and took a strange
turn when Clemon mentioned
that he would probably be
in Middleburg for
Thanksgiving.
Jen said that before he
came back, it would be
prudent if he thought
about the fact that his
family no longer exists
since he left. There are
things that we should not
try to relive because it
is impossible to live the
same way. What happens,
happens only once. Time is
singular, and nothing
else.
Clemon insisted that he
would like to see their
mom. Jen replied that she
wouldn't recognize
him. Perhaps this could
even worsen their
mother's health. Jen
finished by saying that it
is better for Clemon not
to return, emphasizing
that he should never
call her again, as it
would not be nice for her
family to have a person
like him. "You
understand, huh?" She
said this, assuming that
she was just thinking
about her children.
Then, completely angry,
Mx. Sturges cried out,
"I'm free! If I
want to come back, I
will!" Jen sadly
responded,
"You're free, but
not us!" and hung up.
In the next show, Drag
Shix Love set the audience
on fire with emotions and
frenzy during his
performance of Gloria
Gaynor's "I Will
Survive."
END
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