By Marguerite Quantaine
During the 27 years we’ve lived in Florida, we haven’t made any in-the-life friends.
.
It’s not that ‘our kind’ doesn’t exist in small towns here. (We do.) And it’s not that we’re ashamed. (We aren’t.)
.
It’s that, excluding most metro areas, if you (a) want the police to respond to your call for help in a timely manner, and (b) you want to receive the finest healthcare when you’re injured, or sick, and (c) you want to keep your pets out of harms way, and (d) you want to keep your car from being vandalized, and (e) you want to live in an area where the neighborhood watch looks out for your home, and (f) you want the person working on your teeth to be gentle, and (h) you want to be able to make a living, and (i) you want to avoid having your license plate recorded when attending a Pride event — then you don’t risk outing others whom you think are kindred spirits by drawing attention to their personal lives, even in an effort to make friends.
.
…and more
# # #
.
THE ABOVE EXCERPT IS FROM:
Seriously, Mom, you didn’t know?
by Marguerite Quantaine © Copyright 2019
Paperback & Kindle
Available on Amazon and in bookstores nationwide.
CLICK ON & THIS BOOK OPENS TO A FREE 3+ CHAPTER PREVIEW (If it skips ahead, just tap the left arrow.)
M A G P I E à la modus operandi 
I’m going to have to look for you here instead of FB since I hear you they are not allowing you to return. Eh, maybe you aren’t missing too much but we certainly do miss you. Continue to heal and get better! Love to you both!
LikeLike
The good thing is you’ll get an email from WordPress each time I post a blog, requiring no scanning through a Facebook newsfeed where I might not pop up. (BTW, the latest reason I was given for being banned is accepting too many friend requests from people I don’t know. WT? I get new book readers from IMOGENE’S ELOISE who know me after they finish it, but I can’t accept their friend requests because I don’t know them? Makes no sense.) So, thanks for sticking with me Nancypants.
LikeLike
Well, hey there stranger. If I can’t find you anywhere else at least I can find you here. I hope all is well with you and Liz. Miss connecting with you.
LikeLike
Thank you, Sherrye. I’m working on a new blog now with y’all in mind. So grateful you haven’t forgotten me. I’ll try not to disappoint.
LikeLike
Thanks, Karen. It isn’t as-so with the large cities and tourist areas, but small towns are notorious for profiling, and some of those, politically connected, who have access to census records, can misuse the information to the detriment of kindred spirits. It’s why the November elections on the local and state levels are every bit as important as the Presidential selection. I hope you’ll share this in an effort to remind others to be careful out there — and go vote!
LikeLike
Always enjoy your writings, no matter the content. I was shocked to read your list of things you could lose if you were out. Shocked and angry. Makes me wonder if I’m in some sort of denial about my surroundings. I got out of Florida as soon as I could, went to high school in Pensacola. Take care of yourselves. Karen
LikeLike
McQ, have been sending emails and messages hoping to connect. I see you are most likely in the Cyber dog House again. Hope you and Liz are doing well. Drop me a note and let me know you ladies are OK.
HUGS
Gingersnaps
LikeLike
Which makes me wonder how many sweet peeps know they can always connect with me here since leaving a comment registers their email address with my blog account. So very glad you thought of it Gingersnaps! I’m off to my keyboard to drop you a line tout de suite!
LikeLike
Woah! I’m really enjoying the template/theme of this site.
It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s tough
to get that “perfect balance” between superb usability and visual appearance.
I must say that you’ve done a great job with this.
Also, the blog loads super fast for me on Firefox.
Superb Blog!
LikeLike
Thank you, Allison! Extreme simplicity is the key to here. I can only hope you enjoyed the words as well.
LikeLike
I tried to leave this message on your blog, Caroline— “I like this VERY much — the style, the content, the ease, the emotions. Thanks for sending me the link!” — but it wouldn’t okay my comment, so be certain to alert me whenever you have a new post, yes? Yes!
LikeLike
Hmm, don’t know why, I have no record of a comment to be approved, but, I do post my blog on face book(under my name) and I have a bookish butch face book page, if you like the page I believe it will advise you when there is a new post. Thanks for your kind words means a lot to me:-)
LikeLike
Let me start by saying: I miss you on Facebook, so much, sunshine and sanity and seeing through the murky, that is what we need to believe in, thank Marguerite beautiful post, hope you are well. May I share this?
LikeLike
You most certainly may share, Caroline, and may I say, in the 3 weeks Facebook blocked my account for reasons still unknown, the mass murderer of Orlando had 4 pages up and spewing hate with no interference by them. I still can’t post on others threads, and cannot even type a post on my own — I must first compose it in WP and copy-cut-paste it onto a FB text box. So, please, be certain to follow me here if they ban me again. Missed you, too.
LikeLike
I do follow you, love your blog and you can always follow me on my blog bookishbutch.com and soon a new one:-) be well my friend
LikeLike
Thank you, Jaynes. Been missing you on FB. Wishing you well, always.
LikeLike
Well, said ; )
LikeLike
Your presence in the world adds to the love, Maf, so don’t hate to be here. We need you!
LikeLike
Thanks for the blog. I have to say that I really didn’t get the true danger of being a lesbian until last week. Rusty was more accustomed to the hate that can smack you in the back of the head and and kick you in the gut when you least expect it. I have to say that I’m an optimist. I believe that in the end that hate will lose. I’d hate to be part of a world where it wins.
LikeLike
Yes. Easy to trust too much and become complacent until stuff happens and we’re reminded.
LikeLike
We can and should be diligent, Ann, but don’t you think the media should be holding his feet to the fire for this, along with the State House legislators who helped him draft it? I’m grateful Buddy Dyer represented Orlando, keeping Scott mostly at bay. Thank you for adding your thoughts.
LikeLike
WONDERFUL, Margerite!
LikeLike
Thank you, Maeve T. You’re very much appreciated.
LikeLike