Happy Birthday T-Todd

Today we celebrate a special day... Many moons ago I met a young man named T-Todd. Prior to meeting him I had only heard the lore of his whirlwind, ebullient personality and charisma. He was (and still is) the type of person who can only be described in superlative terms like "The nicest boy you'll ever meet" or the "most fun" or "the human representation of what energy produced from nuclear fusion would look like... but in glitter and shiny pants!" To say the least, T-Todd seemed more like a pop-star than someone I'd meet on the stoop of the Wardman...

So our first meeting? Well I guess I really wasn't adequately prepared. It was like the tornado generated by a Tasmanian devil blew in... and immediately started feeling my belly button under my shirt... (Editor's Note: At the time I was horribly in the closet and trying in vain to play the "hip" straight guy...) In tandem with my belly button molestation there was a chorus of "jusssssssssssssssssay....oh mamma, this is one jusaaaaaaaaaaay bellybutton" - my face must have turned white and the people passing by stopped and gawked as they watched a scared boy in pleated (gag!) Docker's shorts attached to a man wearing lamee hot pants stretched over his tight and taut butt (T-Todd could have been Cher's main backup dancer, he had the body for it... and clearly the fashion skills). Oh yeah, and throughout this 2 minute extravaganza, there was a little beagle staring up at me, tail wagging and a blase look on his face that seemed to say "Oh lord, not again!"

These are the moments we cherish in life. The moments where you have to leave the old you in the dockers shorts and move on to the newer, better you, though I still fear glitter but that is another story. In essence that is T-Todd. Sure, you may adore his flare for the fabulous, the outfits, the Elmerisms, the most adorable beagle you'll ever meet (it would be hard to not speak of Bailey since he and Todd are so synonymous and so cute!) or the powerful personality he sports. However, it is his genuine sense of self and benevolent personality that makes him special in my book. He was one of the many reasons I was able to come out so quickly after meeting him, Dbud, Mr. M, Matty and others (all from the same circle). He showed me that loving yourself could be so easy. His confidence was and still is infectious. Ten minutes with T-Todd and suddenly you would be inspired to break out of your mold and do something different.

T-Todd is a bright shining star whose love and charm helped a sad closeted boy see life in a beautiful new way. I hope everyone has a chance to meet him... (just clean your belly button extra good that day!)

Happy Birthday T-Todd! You're the #1 jusay mamma in my book!