I sat at my desk watching the digital clock slowly move towards 3pm, realizing in a matter of minutes my boss Dr. Granville would walk through my door regarding the meeting I had requested.

Rebecca had been extremely supportive this morning over coffee, saying it was high time her father finally entered the 90's and realized that gay people are not only hip (personally, I don't think we were ever NOT hip), but that one of his most respected doctors was, in fact, queer.

The digital clock read "2:59," when suddenly my door opened with a knock.

"Eric?"

He was early! Not that a minute early is bad, but I was looking forward to that extra 60 seconds to compose my thoughts.

He immediately sat down in the chair in front of me, looking at his watch. "What's up? I don't have much time." He glanced at the clipboard in his hand, and I realized he was covering for Herb's patients while he was on vacation.

"Uh...well...I guess I just need to say it. I had reservations about doing this, but I felt the time had come."

"If you're going to tell me you're resigning, Eric, I don't think I could handle that."

For some reason, suddenly I wanted to scream, "Yes, that's it. I resign!" But I knew that was only my fear.

"No, no, nothing like that." I assured him.

"Well, what?" He asked, his stoic face staring me down like an impatient father.

"Well, I'm...gay."

He didn't break his stare, then suddenly his face erupted into a smile. "You're what?"

"I'm gay."

"You mean, you're...you're a homosexual?"

"Yes."

"You're kidding, right?"

I simply shook my head no. My mind immediately processed his reaction and I realized while it was casual, and at least it WAS a reaction, it was NOT a good one. Perhaps he thinks of being gay as a joke, a 'choice,' something that men of his generation laugh about on the golf course.

"Well," he said, "I think it's great you wanted to share this with me." Nice cover, I thought. Suddenly, a wave of PC liberalism radiated from him, a face filled with a warm smile and a fuzzy nose.

"I did. I felt it was important. I wasn't sure whether to tell you casually or like this, but I wanted you to know."

"And now I do." He said, standing up and shaking my hand. He glanced down at my wedding ring.

"That's for my partner Andrew."

"You're married?"

"Well...no, not exactly but...we are planning to have a ceremony soon."

"Oh. Great. That's just...great. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get to Herb's next patient."

"Where did he go?"

"He and his wife took their kids to Hawaii." And then I could see it in his eyes. Hawaii, a place where 'those kinds of people' want to get married. "I'm glad you told me Eric. I really am."

He shook my hand again and as fast as he had arrived, he was now gone.

I sat in my office and immediately called Drew.

"What'd he do?"

"Not much of anything. Just said how great it was."

"That's what straight people say when they're not sure what to say."

"Andrew, please."

"It's true. Don't freak out, you did it. I am so proud of you."

"I'm coming out of the closet in a very conservative office."

"I know, I know. What do you think he's going to do?"

I didn't know the answer, but the voice inside my head told me it wasn't good.