I would usually never write or cause more attention on something that already has enough attention, but honestly, this needs to be said. A couple weeks ago I took a huge risk and posted a tell-all article about my coming out story. A story in which I call out the only person who ever caused me damage and that person (who's name I changed for obvious reasons) was "Massachusetts." A young gay boy who took initiative on his own and outed me to my entire high school drama department.
I cried, he laughed, and life went on so I decided to write about it. The article was some success reaching many people and teaching many other people the lesson on keeping someone's secret. I was met with some criticism and yes I even had a friend copy my entire idea in which he wrote an entire article about the same thing and used my same format (#shade) but hey least the message is being spread around the world in more ways than one. And sure, I was met with, "Jeff stop being vindictive!" and "forgive and forget," and in a way yes they are right because those are common sense moral lessons, until I got one text that sent me in a writing type of mood.
It wasn't until I was standing with 2,000 other people at a Carrie Underwood concert that my phone began to buzz. I looked down while singing "Before He Cheats" with the entire arena when I realized someone had sent me a very long text message from that special someone named Massachusetts. I wondered when he would show up, I knew it would happen but it was a matter of when it was going to happen. I knew people talked and I knew it would get around in my circle of friends, and what do you know!? The time has come! At the worst time ever...
To be honest I didn't even read the entire text message, just the highlights and I simply deleted it like it never happened. But then I kept thinking about that text and what I did read started to infuriate me.
Massachusetts asked me to take down the article, if we want to get the gist of what the whole thing was about. He went on to tell me he was only 14 and how it was just a mistake so many years ago. The cherry on top of all of this was he hoped I was doing okay.... Let me tell ya bitch I've been better since you've been gone so yeah I am doing real good.
I brought this too some of my friends and some feel sympathy for him and also me but before you think I am some terrible person who is trying to ruin someone, you're wrong.
People keep telling me to forgive and forget and what they don't understand is that I have done it in my own way. I can't help what I feel, a part of me will always blame him and a part of me will always think "that was yesterday and today is today." For the most part, I have lived past the entire situation and I've moved on.
So then why did I write about it? Well for one it was a story that needed to be told, a story that shows you what happens when someone secret is exposed and what it can do the person. If you think I wrote the entire article for sympathy then you're dead wrong. I wrote it to teach a lesson.
If you think I wrote it to expose Massachusetts then again, you're wrong. If I wanted to expose him then his full legal name and face book information would be posted all over this article, but it's not.
I find it funny that I was never important to talk to after it was all said and done, but the moment he feels exposed? You bet he was right there wanting to talk and wishing me the best and begging me to take down the article.
But I am not taking it down, and I never will take it down. You had this coming, so deal with what you caused. Sure you were teenager, and yes we make mistakes... Unfortunately, your mistake caused more damage than your other mistakes.
I'm sorry but no Massachusetts, the article isn't coming down and it never will. And yes, I hope you're doing well yourself.