I was in Nashville with Nissan a couple months ago. Mark Richardson and I were outside the city, testing the new Hybrid Pathfinder.
We passed these parade floats, and stopped to pose the car.
Two gentleman appeared, groundskeepers. Mark kept clicking, I went over to say hi.
He was so curious about Canada. What’s it like there? Then:
Him: Do you have black people there?
Me: Yup.
Him: Do you have gay people there?
Me: Yup. Some are black and gay. No one cares in Canada.
He said he didn’t understand gay people, it was confusing, why would they choose to do that?
I responded with my logic line, “being gay is tough, right? So, why would anyone choose a harder life?”
That started sinking in, and then Mark’s timing was perfect: he walked up at this exact moment, and said he was gay.
Our new friend’s eyes almost came out of his head. “But, you seem normal, we were just joking, but…..”. It was all over his face, trying to process this anomaly.
And then, THE moment.
Mark stuck out his hand, and slowly, our new friend reached out and shook it. Eyes still like saucers. I laughed and clapped and said do it again, and he did. The second time his face registered proudness. This was the first time he’d met a gay person, and had been brave enough to touch him. I’m literally smiling while typing this, it was special like that.
It was amazing to watch his mind rewire.
Then Mark snapped us to commemorate the moment.
We’d have liked a photo of him and Mark, but after those 2 handshakes, the guy was visibly overwhelmed, enough was enough.
Off we went grinning, one less homophobe, tada.
