Last night as I merrily keyboarded away, I thought I heard the squish, swish sound of cars traveling on water. But I didn't hear any rain. So I opened my kitchen door, and it was snowing! And not just a few random flakes either. My Saturn was covered in white powder several inches deep. And I had no idea this was going on.

During the night, I woke up every couple of hours and then could not go back to sleep. I kept trying to decide if I had enough groceries. Would I be able to drive to the grocery store? Did I have any cash? Was there enough gas in the car? Would the stores be crowded? What would be open? Was the power going to stay on? Yikes! Double Yikes! Talk about being obsessive!!!

When I finally got myself out of bed, my first order of business was to make an expedition to the grocery store. I put on boots, a new pair of jeans I bought Saturday at Target, my heavy, padded denim jacket, a watch cap and sunglasses. The perfect attire for robbing a liquor store. It took only a few minutes to brush off the snow from the car. In fact, it was easier than most chilly days. But it was fucking cold!

I carefully backed the car out of the drive and then gingerly headed east. Enough traffic had passed that the middle of the streets were mushy, but there was definitely ice along the edges. The first street heading toward the Interstate was blocked by two cars that had skidded, so I had to backtrack and try another path. However, within a few minutes I pulled up in front of the grocery. My shopping took about tne minutes, and I was back outside in the chill. By now however, the sun was out, and you could see the ice melting on the eves.

The comments at IMDB compared it to "My Beautiful Thing." If your subject matter is to be a coming out story, and you're not going to wander into other realms, then it is bound to be compared to movies with similiar plots. It occurred to me that the most difficult decision in such cases must be determining how to end the movie. "Beautiful Thing" ends with the two guys and others dancing outside in a courtyard. In "Get Real," he drives off with his female friend in a red Corvette.

I also thought of a much earlier movie, "400 Blows," by Truaffaut, Although not dealing with the issues of sexuality, the youth faces the tribulations of the world around him. Truaffaut's ending is brilliant in its simplicity. The boy runs along the beach, and the scene freezes as he looks into the camera. The first time I saw the film, I was immediately in love with the boy. So when the ending comes I felt equally frozen.

How sad that once you realize you're "different," you also begin to realize that it must be kept hidden. What a terrifying predicament! Even now, I carefully chose whom I will tell. I know that most have heard I am, or they may suspect. But still, I find prudence to be a virtue.