Camp Shalom, Malibu, Memorial Weekend 1994. Dan and I are
driving up Pacific Coast Highway in his silver-gray Eclipse with the sunroof
open. The cloud cover has burned off and the blue of the ocean seems endless.
It is our first trip together and we’re both so excited about his first Gay
Cam0 experience.
We’ve been given our own private room for the weekend. We
take our luggage out of the car and pass two teams of guys playing volleyball
on the way. We get settled, create our name badges, and start meeting my
friends from the past. This year the theme is about the masks that men wear.
This weekend is about letting go of any mask that no longer serve us.
Our first workshop is outside. We’re instructed to make a
mask out of Plaster of Paris. Dan and I help one another with forming our
masks. It’s an amazing experience.
“Wow,” Dan exclaims. “It’s so weird to be stuck in a real
mask. I’m painting my mask red to symbolize the anger I’ve carried and I’m
going to let it go!” he proclaims.
“My mask is celebrating my creativity and the wonder of
color in my world,” I tell him. “It’s got a native theme. It also depicts the
light show that fires off in my right eye.” We both laugh.
“I’m having such a blast, Michael,” Dan tells me. “I’m so
glad you talked me into this. If my ex could see me now, with an earring and
blonde highlights in my hair!”
That evening, as the sun begins to set, we take a hike to
one of my favorite spots on the campground. It’s at the end of a creek. We
climb up the rocks and watch as the sun shadows the mountain.
“This has been the happiest experience of my life,” Dan
says.
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