Picture this: it's 1998 and everyone thinks you're an asshole for thinking better things are possible. Strike that: they think you're an asshole for thinking they should be better and wanting to say something about it. You're doing this because you're just boiling in your own anger and you don't even feel good about it. Because you saw that man throw everything away he promised in 1992 and now it's 1998 and he got caught with his dick out and is gonna get away with it. All the campaigning and politicking and theory for what? After the 80s, you could've had anything if you stuck to your guns, and your biggest political allies threw it all away for paychecks with another zero.
It's 1998 and it's vapid. The decade has been aimless. You dodged Don't Ask Don't Tell being implemented because you've been out of the game for a while, and it's all your service branch friends want to talk about, and you're tired of it. You all went on that queer veteran march together, heads held high and voices raised. One of the greatest nights of your life. This political news shall pass. But nobody wants to focus on the future. Just the now. The money going up, the newest TV shows, the hottest movies. It's over and your country won and by proxy you won and who cares if you're happy.
It's 1998 and she walks into the bar and maybe there's something good in this decade. She's a doctor, she's educated, she's funny and witty and you share the same politics. You swap CDs and books and enrich each other's worlds; she takes you to the theater, you take her to wrestling. The two of you are like magnesium and aluminum and when you hold hands you could burn together forever.
She wants to make the world better. She's seen things too. Maybe you could improve the world together as a couple but she never says anything about that so you don't either.
It's 1998 and she wants to tell you about a secret. A weird secret. You gotta keep an open mind. But it's her. So you will.
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