Jesus, Not Jesús: Finding The Divine In The Space Between Us.
  • Be Kind
  • About this blog
  • About the author
  • Contact
  • Be Kind
  • About this blog
  • About the author
  • Contact

KNOWvember Day Eight: Peter

11/8/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Peter once yelled at me in front of my daughters. It was about my dog, who was still a rambunctious puppy.

My girls laughed at him under their breath. But I made it a point in my heart to get to know him, and for him to get to know me. If our dogs were going to play in the same space, they we better learn how to do it ourselves. Plus, everyone else seemed to like him. He didn't seem like a bad person.

I saw Peter the following week. We didn’t speak but he said hello and was always friendly with me. I suspect one of the other regulars said something. Or maybe he saw that I actually worked on my dog’s aggressive play style. Still, I wanted to meet him, get to know him, learn his story and understand him better. That time never really materialized until this afternoon. 
Having spent his career as a professional TV editor and producer, Peter had no problem with me asking him a bunch of random questions.  Born in southern Louisiana, Peter is not your typical southern boy.  Born into “a more privilege family” Peter is grateful that his parents supported his dream of going west to film school. After graduating he began working on a new TV show, the Golden Girls.

While editing one particular episode –  when Rose fears that a blood transfusion she had several years ago my have contained HIV infected blood – Peter was caught off guard when Blanche told Rose, “AIDS is not a bad persons disease.” In shock and relief Peter began to cry in the edit bay.
 
He and his partner had the disease. And feared all the stigma that went with it. Because one of America’s sweethearts had said that, Peter felt emboldened to come out of the closet. He was tired of the lies and shame that came with his southern upbringing. His plantation, slave-owning heritage was not very open minded to homosexuality. He believes that being the youngest of six children, his parents had been soften (or worn down).  Peter was not a bad person.
 
His long-time partner at the time died from the disease the same year my last friend died. In 1995, just around the time the lifesaving drug “cocktail” made it possible to save the lives of millions, including Peter.
 
While Peter did many crazy things in his life, both good and really bad, he believes he has evolved through them. Grateful for the privilege and family he was given, Peter takes after his father, a philanthropist and taught him to always give back. Some of the ways Peter gives back is working as an animal rights advocate – something he learned while working with Jacque Cousteau. 
 
Today, he and his partner have five dogs – each one a rescue. Rocket is their 29th one.  When I asked him what is the most difficult thing about rescuing dogs, he said “weighing the financial costs of medical treatment. Is a $5,000 surgery necessary if it means I can rescue another dog.”

As we were talking more dogs show up and circle Peter to say hello. They seem to like him, like everyone else. So I think it’s safe to say he is not bad people.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Ian Macdonald

    An ex-copywriter turned punk rock pastor and peacemaker who dedicates his life to making the world a better place for all humanity. 

    "that they all might be one"  ~John 17:21


    “Prius vita quam doctrina.”
    ​~ S
    t. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274)​
    * “Life is more important than doctrine.”


    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    February 2011
    December 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010

Be Kind

About this blog

About The Author

Contact

Copyright © 2011