I knew that Dr. Granville would be downstairs in the Sport Café, finishing up his lunch after is regular mid-day workout routine. I had thought about confronting him in his office again, but knew that would prove futile. I had to strike on neutral ground where he would take me seriously. While it may be considered shock therapy, it would serve my purpose well, because then he would know exactly what I wanted and would have to play my game, by my rules, or face the consequences.

As I approached the bright florescent interior of the trendy café, I saw him sitting at a corner table in the back of the room--- reading the business section.

"Hello." I muttered.

He looked up and then glanced back down at his paper. "Good day, Eric."

Did he really think that was all it would take for me to leave? I held my ground, simply standing there until he relented.

Finally, he looked up. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"I want my clients back."

"Eric, if you want to talk to me--- make an appointment. I'm having my lunch."

He continued eating, probably hoping on some level I'd just walk away, but I continued, "There are laws in this city that protect against sexual discrimination."

"Sexual harassment? Give me a break."

"No. Discrimination based on sexual orientation. If I pursue this, you're going to have every civil rights group, gay and straight, breathing down your neck on this supposedly progressive sports center. I'd hate to see what would happen to your client base."

"Is that a threat?"

"It's a fact."

"Let me ask you something. Are you on medication?"

I knew the game he was playing. He had the ammunition to throw it all right back at me, with records of a leave of absence for my sexual addiction and recovery. Was he declaring war? I suddenly wasn't sure, but knew a legal battle could certainly turn ugly.

We continued to stare each other down in the silence until finally I responded, "No, sir. I'm not."

"I just wanted to make sure." He grumbled, finishing his low-cal Chinese chicken salad.

I pulled up a chair, sitting down across from him.

"Listen to me, sir. I'm not afraid of you. You should know that. Yes, I had a sexual dysfunction problem. But you try to use that against me, I'll sink your clinic."

"Such big words from such a little man."

"You might think because I'm gay I'm little, somehow different, but I'm not. I'm exactly the same."

Dr. Granville looked away, clearly disgusted.

I continued. "I wanted to say 'I'm just like you,' but that wouldn't be true. I'm not even close."

"You're not. And you never will be."

I rose from the table, realizing war had been declared.