THE NARRATIVE ARC

The Time I Learned I’m a Role Model

Without realizing it, I stepped into a role that I wasn’t comfortable with

Edward Anderson
The Narrative Arc
Published in
5 min readFeb 28, 2024

--

Two men dancing on a dancefloor painted in the rainbow flag
Dancing during Pride Image from Edward Anderson

There are many lessons to be uncovered in New York City. One is that art is in everything. Another is that there are actually people who enjoy waking up early in the morning. I was simply shocked by the latter fact.

Another fun fact that I learned is that Pride is a huge celebration in the city. The parade goes through most of Manhattan and blocks are shut down for people to celebrate. People stand shoulder to shoulder with nary a complaint about it being too busy or crowded.

“Pride isn’t like this in Detroit,” I said.

“Oh, Honey, there’s no Pride like New York Pride,” A man said as he passed us.

He was right.

My first New York Pride was filled with adventure and excitement. I went with my friend Natalie. We both took in the feel of the event. There was so much to see and absorb.

Walking through the area, we bought things from queer-owned businesses. A bracelet for me, a T-shirt for her. Booths for cell service and therapy were packed with people, so we avoided them.

--

--

Edward Anderson
The Narrative Arc

Edward has written hundreds of acclaimed true crime articles and has won numerous awards for his short stories. His most recent book is Barbenheimer.