Think about it... He says that he was smitten by the "little girl", right? Why did he remember a girl and not a boy? Because of how his parents reacted to two men as that very boy's parents! He recognized young, as most homosexuals do, that he was attracted to the same sex. His parent's reaction traumatized him enough to completely alter his memory. Then, he inadvertently hurts the one he loves using the same words his parent's used. For young children, particularly sensitive ones, that kind of rejection, even if it is not intended as rejection, by the parents is life altering. Compounded, then, by the rejection of his friends for siding with his parents to avoid their rejection. He couldn't win for losing! In that situation, a child will decide it's better to say nothing at all. That decision followed the uke through to his adulthood. It kept him safe that far. "Don't draw attention." Speaking your mind drew too much negative attention as a child, so no attention was better than negative attention. It's entirely understandable and not pathetic at all.
Think about it... He says that he was smitten by the "little girl", right? Why did he remember a girl and not a boy? Because of how his parents reacted to two men as that very boy's parents! He recognized young, as most homosexuals do, that he was attracted to the same sex. His parent's reaction traumatized him enough to completely alter his memory. Then, he inadvertently hurts the one he loves using the same words his parent's used. For young children, particularly sensitive ones, that kind of rejection, even if it is not intended as rejection, by the parents is life altering. Compounded, then, by the rejection of his friends for siding with his parents to avoid their rejection. He couldn't win for losing! In that situation, a child will decide it's better to say nothing at all. That decision followed the uke through to his adulthood. It kept him safe that far. "Don't draw attention." Speaking your mind drew too much negative attention as a child, so no attention was better than negative attention. It's entirely understandable and not pathetic at all.