Long time readers of this strip know that, in a way, Elliot has a bit of an advantage here, having had a glimpse of his and little Raymond’s future, as well as that of many of the other members of our little troupe (For those curious, the storyline starts on 12 November 2014: https://docandraider.com/comic/elliots-birthday-3/), so you guys already know how this all sorts out. For those curious:

https://docandraider.com/comic/elliots-birthday-3/
https://docandraider.com/comic/elliots-birthday-4/
https://docandraider.com/comic/elliots-birthday-5/
https://docandraider.com/comic/elliots-birthday-6/ (The “next” buttons work past this point)

Still, this is one of those quandaries that I’m sure many gay parents must face at some point, that nagging fear that maybe they’re accidently influencing their kids’ lives a bit too much, setting them on course to something that maybe they’re not meant for. It can be a tough balancing act, particularly when it comes to sensitive matters of sexual orientation, because things seem to be so unformed at that age.

Now, dont misunderstand: I, like a lot of my friends, knew from the very start I was gay. I had a huge crush on one Tony B. when I was in first grade. We both loved Steve Reeves movies (seriously!), and we did some really innocent exploration one afternoon in an empty classroom at school… as much as two first graders are capable of, anyway. But I was smitten: nothing anyone could have said about sin or abomination or anything like that would have changed my mind — I wanted to be with Tony for the rest of my life… until his family moved away and I started second grade and met Morris and then… well, that’s another story for another time. Point is, I knew. No question about it.

As such, Gilles’ concern probably isnt warranted, not even in the slightest, but I imagine it does make him and Elliot wonder from time to time. We all want to do right by our kids, and sometimes that means erring on the very far side of caution…

OK, some single-panels — and the annual Christmas cards! — and then we’re gonna put Raider up in a tree for a while.

Why, you ask?

You’ll just have to see………