Mardi Gras by A.B. Gayle

[reviews_and_ramblings]

This is a nice May/December novella about an embittered 50 years old writer and blogger, Damien, who is sent to Sydney to do a reportage on the gay pride parade during the Mardi Gras, the same parade he accused how having no more a serious content in his blog.

It’s not that Damien has something in particular against Sydney or his gay parade, but maybe the fact that he spent there a wonderful summer, when he was 25 years old and gay and proud and out, makes his boring life now even more unbearable, and he has to convince himself that what he remembers with so much fond memories is not more an option, that he is not losing anything, since what he wants is no more available.

And so, when descending from the plane he finds an handsome and very young Simon waiting for him, ready to show him all the beauty his country can offer him, in more way than one, Damien is at first reluctant, but then follow the lead. Near Simon he feels again like that 25 years old guy who was living for loving and surfing, and who was still convinced the future was out there, waiting for him.

Spending time with Simon, he realizes that the boy is not a replica of himself at the same age: even if carefree and maybe even a bit careless, Damien was probably only taking a vacation from life, and he had all the possibilities to realize his dreams. Simon instead is so bent to prove to Damien that what he has, and what he feels is important, since he has nothing else: poor and proud, proving to Damien that people of Simon’s age are not worthless, is a way to prove that he himself is someone Damien has to consider, someone whose voice is important.

This is not really a love story, even if there is a bit of sex intercourses between the two of them, but it’s more a meeting of two different minds, different worlds and different ages; but even if they are so different, there is something that links them, being gay and believing in a meeting of souls.

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