We'll Meet Again

Marla, I had met around my senior year of high school. She was very innocent. Didn't take sides. I felt we shared similar values, if you will. Her parents were also very religious, very strict. So I felt that we also shared that in common, as well. But she grew up Jewish. There was something about Marla. This hippie, this, she just loved everybody, and she just accepted everybody. And I had known her for about a year and a half, two years, and one night we're driving around in my car and she knew there was something wrong, that was bothering me. Now, I don't know how she's gonna react. You know, is she gonna run out of the car, is she gonna call me a freak? I said I had an attraction to men. And you know, and I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop, you know, because she's the first person I'm speaking to, and I'm going, oh my God, here it comes. Marla goes pfft, so what? You're Tommy, you know, you're a good person, so what? What difference does that make with your life? She accepted me unconditionally. Unconditional love, if you will, was a friend. And then I mentioned to her how I was going to the psychiatrist, and I says, well he wanted me to get electric shock treatments. She goes, no, no. So, yeah. Big moment. (exhales) Big moment. (sniffs) -

Ann Curry

For the first time, Tom felt it was okay to be gay, but within a few weeks of coming out to Marla, he discovered she was dealing with her own family's expectations. I think her parents were worried that she hung around with too many different people, and not enough Jewish boys. -

Ann

To make matters worse, Tom and Marla went away together one weekend to Woodstock, but she didn't tell her parents. Drove Marla home. Marla's father came outside and was quite upset. For her father was just yelling, Marla, where have you been, what are you doing? And it was within a week, she was on a plane to Israel, to live in a kibbutz. -

Ann

The one person who knew Tom's secret, and accepted him just the way he was, disappeared almost overnight. -

Tom

She was the first human being that I could talk about my feelings and understood, and it didn't matter. -

Ann

If she had reacted differently, your life might have gone a different way. Oh my God, yeah. No question. I hate to even think. The power of her acceptance. Mmhmm. Is why you turned out okay. Absolutely. You know, thank God she was the one. -

Ann

So why now? Why do you wanna see her again? I wanted to let her know that I turned out really okay, and it kind of started with her. You know, I came out of it okay, I hope you're okay. I'd like that very much.