Gone South
Freshly arrived in rural Louisiana, Mike adjusts to his new role at CLECO, contrasting the "boots on the ground" field work he now performs with his previous experiences working moreso in an office environment. He reflects on Pride at how the Queer community has evolved recently.
Good morning, this is Mike George, coming to you live for a bit of a special edition life update. It’s been a while since I’ve been truly enthused to talk, but since it’s Pride Month, I figured I’d check in from my current home in the middle of nowhere in Louisiana.
Let me tell you, Pride is looking a little different this year. There’s not a single gay bar in this town, so things are pretty subdued—no naked boys or drag queen parades for me at the moment. Instead, I’m doing some self-reflection. A year ago, I was moving to Portland for a dream job. That lasted all of a few months before the shit hit the fan. I got caught in a toxic relationship and inherited a friend group that was even worse. Moving from urban spots like Montreal, Columbus, and Portland to small-town gay life is a new adventure, but hey — I haven’t been lynched for it yet, so that’s a win.
Work has actually been pretty fun lately. I’m with a small utility called CLECO, or the Central Louisiana Electric Company. It’s got a wild history—it actually started as an ice company. Back in the day, they realized it was more efficient to sell people freezers and air conditioners and then sell them the electricity to run them. After working for giants like AEP and Portland General Electric, it’s a bit of a step backwards career-wise, but I’m finally getting the field experience I always wanted. I’m getting my boots on the ground and my hands dirty fixing things instead of just staring at computer models in an office.
On the romance front, I’ve got a boyfriend named Luke, a beautiful man I met in Columbus. It’s a new, budding thing, and I feel lucky to have someone who cares about me, especially after the challenge of moving down here and starting over alone.
But if I'm being real with you, I’m still bitter. It’s hard to look back at where I was a year ago and not be angry. I was homeless in Portland and Chicago, scrounging for money, and while that was a "coming-of-age" experience that opened my eyes to the real world, I still feel like none of it needed to happen. I learned the limits of the "community"—when I was in crisis, the community wasn't there for me, though some amazing individuals were.
So, what am I proud of this Pride? I’m proud we made it to the summer of 2021. I’m proud I can be chill with y’all without having a major rage meltdown. I’m not full of "Pride" so much as I am a mix of gratitude and anger. Honestly, I’d rather be driven by anger and a yearning for things to be right than by nothing at all. Converting that hate into something positive is a messy art form, but it’s my motivation right now.
Happy Pride, y’all! Find your spirit, stay safe, and take care of each other.
