One Person at a Time
Notice: This is a fictional story of friendship, commitment, love and trust. It is not a sex story. However, this story deals with love between male teenagers. If you are offended by stories involving love between two teenage boys, why are you at this website. There may be some sex scenes in this story; however, sex is not the main theme. If you are under age 18 or 21 or it is illegal to read this story where you live, don't read it. Reproducing this story for distribution without the owner's permission is a violation of that copyright.
Author's Note:
Hey Peeps!
The is the last chapter of this story and it's time to say good-bye. I had mentioned that this would be the last story for a while and I now confirm that to be true. I'm not saying that I will never write again. I shall probably write under my legal name when I make the time to do so. Life changes by postulate and so my life changes. I wish you all well - do things to make your life and the life of those around you better and happier.
In the words of the dolphins "Goodbye! And thanks for the fish!"
Sam Lakes
One Person at a Time - Tribute
Evan Maxwell
"I know that it has been an honor to each of the speakers tonight to relate their lives and the lives of Matthew Smith Eastman and Lucas Sean Baxter."
"I especially want to thank Eddie Mitchell for telling us what it was like growing up with his best friend Luc Baxter and what it was like to be friends with and work with Matt Eastman."
"Thank you to Anthony Radesheski and George Smith for telling us their side of this story."
"Finally thanks to my friend and companion Jonathan Petri who let us know how it was being not only a teacher but also a friend to these two outstanding young men."
"After seeing the dress rehearsal of 'Rock Opera - One Person at A Time' I had the pleasure of interviewing Matt and Luc. I present that interview to you now. I present Matthew Smith Eastman and Lucas Sean Baxter."
The lights came down and the video taped interview was projected on the large screen.
Evan Maxwell is seated in a comfortable chair on the left across from him are Matt and Luc seated on a couch.
"You guys ready?" asks Evan.
"Lights, camera, action!" Luc says.
"Roll'em!" laughs Matt.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are honored to have Mr. Evan Maxwell of W something radio here with us today. Mr. Maxwell is it true that you support gay marriage?" asks Luc.
Evan rolls his eyes.
"Yes," says Matt,"and if that is true then how come you voted for Bush. That seems sort of oxymoronish, Mr. Maxwell. Please explain."
"Is oxymoronish a proper word?" asks Luc.
Evan is laughing. Matt gets up and walks over to the camera. His face takes up the whole picture. He starts making faces. "We pause not for a word from our sponsor Auntie Mabel's crispy creamy zit causing cookie. Kids! Do you want to have more zits! Well, just buy a bag of crispy creamy zit cookies."
"Matt we are support to be doing an interview," says Evan.
Matt returns to the couch. "Can I sing now?" he asks.
"After the interview, Mattie."
"Cut! Cut! Cut! Evan you are not suppose to call me Mattie," whines Matt.
"Fine. Get serious and let's do this interview," says Evan.
Matt puts on a serious face.
Luc looks at Matt's face and laughs. Then leans over and kisses Matt on the cheek. Matt smiles.
"Who's idea was it to have a rock opera?" asks Evan.
"Matt's," said Luc.
"True but the title was Luc's. You see my title was Rock Opera and his part was One Person at a Time."
"Matt, what person has had the greatest influence on your life?"
"There really wasn't one person; my mom, grandparents, Alex, my dad, his journals and Luc were major influences."
"You said Alex's journals?"
"Yes, I never knew him personally. He died before I was born, but he wrote journals and through those journals I learned to know him. He was a talented musician. Some of the things he said influenced me."
"Can I talk about Luc's influence?"
"Yes."
"People say you can't fall in love when you're seven, but we did. I met Luc at a park. We had a great time that day and when it came time for him to go I realized I loved him. I told him that. He told me he loved me too. He said, I'm going to be with you someday when we are grown up. We can get married then. We kissed. A simple kiss on the lips. Then we parted. Later when life got rough I would think about Luc and I held on to my dream until we met again and it came true."
"Wow, any comments, Luc?"
"That's pretty much what happened. I didn't have a rough life but I had lots of people who had crushes on me both girls and guys and I would opt out of any relationship because I knew one day Matt and I would be together again. I had already given him my heart."
"Luc, who was the greatest influence on your life?"
"Matt, of course, and then my dad."
"So, tell us about your part of the title to the rock opera."
Luc smiled and looked at Matt.
"When Matt and I first got together again, everybody had already agreed to Rock Opera. We were talking about our lives and about being gay. I told him that I knew I was probably gay when I was twelve. I was surfing the net trying to find out stuff about being gay and I came across the name Matthew Shepard. I read how he died and I started crying. I didn't know him. I'd never met him, but even so I cried and cried and cried."
"My dad heard me crying and came to see what was wrong. All I could do was point at the monitor and ask why? Why? He did nothing wrong! Why do people kill? Why do people hate?"
"I think my dad's answer was what changed my life. He said people kill because of ignorance, because of lack of real communication and understanding. People hate sometimes because they are taught to hate and that prevents them from really looking, communicating and understanding."
"How can we change it? How can we change the world? Dad's answer was one person at a time," said Luc.
"When Luc told me this and how he decided to start change peoples attitude. I realized I had attained my goal of being with him again. I needed a new dream. I told him my dream was now to have a school change its name to Matthew Shepard High as a symbol of tolerance and cooperation and to show the world that people can change and can care about each other. The song that Anth sang was beautiful. For me it carries a message telling people to start caring before it's too late. Before we blow ourselves up or kill nature. We need to break the habit of not caring."
"Yeah, that's our dream now, that's the dream Matt and I hold on to. That's the dream we are holding onto until it's true."
The tape ended at that point. I walked back out on to the stage.
"As you know Matthew and Luc formed their band 'Boyz in Park' with Eddie, Anthony, Melissa and Cory. As much as we wish they were here tonight unfortunately they are on tour in Europe."
"As you know this ceremony is being video taped. Their manager Joey Benson is here with a special video tape from the boys. Joey the stage is yours."
"Matt and Luc want to thank everyone for helping them to achieve this goal, this dream. Here's the tape it was recorded a day and a half ago. Here they are ladies and gentlemen BOYZ IN PARK!"
The video played.
"Hey peeps!" said Luc and Matt.
"We are sorry that we couldn't be there but we're on tour. We tried to get away but our contracts wouldn't let us," said Luc.
"When we heard it was official that Worthington High is now Matthew Shepard High - well it was the best news ever. People are giving us credit for this well we may have started it by telling people what our dream was but it was each one of you that made it happen," said Matt.
"Yeah, each one of you. It was one person at a time. It is us that should be thanking you for making our dream come true," said Luc.
"We are in the middle of a concert and Eddie's just signaled us we have to go. Bye for now our next song is dedicated to you! Love ya!" said Matt as they ran back on to the stage. You could hear the crowd go wild.
"Okay this next song we dedicate to our folks back home and to all the people that helped change the name of our high school from Worthington High to Matthew Shepard High - in honor of the late Matthew Shepard."
Anth started on the keyboard
Eddie and Cory came in on guitars.
Luc and Matt had switched Luc was on drums
Matt began singing:
Memories concern
Like opening the wound
I'm picking me apart again
You all assume
I'm safer in my room
Unless I try to start again
I don't want to be the one
Who battles always choose
Cuz inside I realize
That I'm the one confused
I don't know what's worth fighting for
Or why I have to scream
I don't know why I instigate
And say what I don't mean
I don't know how I got this way
I know it's not alright
So I'm breaking the habit
I'm breaking the habit tonight
Matt and Melissa sing:
Cultured my cure
I tightly lock the door
I try to catch my breath again
I hurt much more
Than anytime before
I have no options left again
Only Matt sings:
I dont want to be the one
Who battles always choose
Cuz inside I realize
That I'm the one confused
I don't know what's worth fighting for
Or why I have to scream
I don't know why I instigate
And say what I don't mean
I don't know how I got this way
I'll never be alright
So, I'm breaking the habit
I'm breaking the habit tonight
I'll paint it on the walls
Cuz I'm the one that falls
I'll never fight again
and this is how it ends
I don't know what's worth fighting for
Or why I have to scream
But now I have some clarity
to show you what I mean
I don't know how I got this way
I'll never be alright
So, I'm breaking the habit
I'm breaking the habit
Breaking the habit tonight
"BREAK THE HABIT! HOLD ON TO YOUR DREAMS! MAKE THEM COME TRUE! WE LOVE YOU! GOODNIGHT!"
The End.