|
Route 6: London Bridge to Canada Water
27 Jul 2009
|
HAND HOLDERS:
Anthony & Mark
London Bridge, 3.30pm
hand hold passed from
Route 5, Paulo & Paul
|
Mark recollects, "Let me take you back to when you were a child and you had to hold your parents hand, whether that was your mum or your dad, to cross the road or when you were with them. You did this to keep you safe. So by holding Anthony’s hand in public, I do this out of love and to keep me safe."
View Larger Map
Anthony said, "Mark and I walked a way through fairly quiet streets once we got
away from London Bridge. Before Paul and Paulo appeared to pass the
baton on to us (or the big pink flaming torch, as Paul poetically put
it), a couple of guys walked up past us hand in hand. And I stared.
And I thought about how I stare at gay couples holding hands. It gives
me a warm fuzzy feeling inside. It's lovely to see. And these two were
especially cute. If I stare, or as I like to think of it "watch", how
can I predict what others are thinking when they "stare" at Mark and me?"
At 3.45pm we're running a little late, so hands together, we're off!
More thoughts from Mark: "For me the litmus test to know whether or not I am doing the right thing is to examine whether my decisions are love based or fear based... It is very important that I treat people with love. By holding Anthony’s hand I do it with love."
Anthony added, "And the person who had the biggest reaction to it all was me. All the time my mind was whirring with what could happen - what was going on behind those people's eyes? What would I do if someone abused us? And this is my truth - I hold Mark's hand in public all the time, but when do I really relax and enjoy it? He makes me feel safe, but at the same time I feel the most vunerable."
Bermondsey, Bus 188 to Canada Water, 3.50pm
David, A Day In Hand Founder, said, "I also wanted to document the hand holding experience on public transport. This was the longest leg of the relay, and we were running late, so we hoped on a bus at Bermondsey to Canada Water"
Mark finished by saying "If by holding Anthony’s hand, I am making a statement and we are being pioneers or role models, then great we both want to be one of those. We wouldn’t be half the people that we are today without the token of that outstretched hand off support and friendship."
Comments: 1
As we walked through the streets a few people stared. One guy was heard to say to his female partner "Fellas!" once they'd passed us. A car horn honked. We got on the bus. Some people looked. A woman with kids got on and sat down the back with us. We got off. Someone at the top deck of another bus stood up to get a proper look at us. We passed the big, pink, flaming torch to the next lovely, gorgeous people.
|