Very good question. I have had people ask me the question, "How could someone who is so together, have so many bad exes?"
Well, I think you know the answer to that question for yourself, Ronit. Just because someone is in a good place NOW, or has their life in working order and has a lot of wonderful qualities, does NOT mean they think straight with their choice of partners. Ellery's involvement with Beagle was a clinging juvenile event in his teens. How many people haven't had one of those?
His relationship with Bill was when Bill wasn't (yet) as far as we know, an opportunistic teen pornographer, and his relationship started out, at least, as a professional one. Even though they were together for a number of years, it does not seem like Ellery ever really believed Bill was "the one." They had a common goal, the running of the bar and a commitment to the infant gay community.
His er, relationship with Gabe... well, wasn't much of a relationship... it was more of an extended one night stand that Gabe took a whole lot more seriously than Ellery did, and like many "travelling salesmen" he showed up again like a bad penny.
Yes, part of the design behind this is to give Ellery a checkered history with false starts and insufficient love relationships. It is also, if I may be so bold as to quote Dan Savage, the gay sex columnist, a fair representation of what kind of relationship possibilities are on offer for a still-hated sexual minority. Most gays are, by virtue of their unaccepted status, wounded people. Dan compared them to a population of Vietnam vets.... and on the dating scene, one has to choose among the least damaged of damaged goods, and a healthy and well adjusted gay partner is about as rare as those spotted owls.
However, is this really so much different from heterosexual life, when you get down to it? With a 60% divorce rate in America, one might argue that these considerations might well apply to the larger population.
As far as Ennis goes, we should not forget his flaws. His is still homophobic. He hides his sexual preference from most people and still shuns affection in public. He has only got half a foot out of the closet, something most open gays in 2006 would find intolerable in a partner. He has an ex wife and children, no education to speak of, is wildly jealous of anyone paying too much personal attention to Ellery, and is prejudiced about Ellery appearing "too queer" in public. He would hit the roof if Ellery put an earring in his ear again, for example. He is still grieving Jack, and carries the guilt and pain of the past. That having been said, he is a considerate and passionate lover (this is a romance, after all), keeps the house neat, pulls his own weight, doesn't crumple up and act girly, and so far, has not been chased away by the increasingly intrusive demands of Ellery's job. He isn't the perfect partner by any means. But he is a darn sight more human and responsible and loving than the ones Ellery has had before. Perfect? Not a chance!
Topic: Taking Chances, by E. L. Van Hine and L.H. Nicoll (Read 3166450 times)