Episode 216
The episode begins at Michael�s apartment where Justin and Mikey
are going over Justin�s latest sketches for the �Rage� comic. He
has drawn the scene of Rage rescuing J.T. from the gay bashing.
Mikey comments on the drawings being so graphic, Justin replies
that they are suppose to be. Ben is there at the apartment, too,
and he�s searching for his Palm Pilot. Justin and Michael describe
the scene of J.T.�s attack to Ben, explaining that Rage uses his
mind control powers to make the gay bashers turn on one another.
Afterwards, Rage takes J.T. back to his place where he revives
J.T. with kisses and �deep anal penetration�. Which is Justin�s
favorite part. Hmmmm, I wonder why? <G> Ben is impressed,
but he�d also like to find his Palm Pilot. Michael suggests he
look in the bedroom and Ben goes to do just that, but not before
some kissing and teasing between Ben and Michael. Once Ben
is out of the room, Michael produces Ben�s Palm that he�s
�borrowed�, he tells Justin. Mikey is planning a surprise party
for Ben�s birthday and he�s going to use the Palm to contact all
of Ben�s friends and invite them. Justin asks when Ben�s
birthday is and learns it�s Saturday. Justin laughs that that is his
birthday, too. He and Ben share the same special day. Justin
asks isn�t that an amazing coincidence? Michael asks what is
so amazing about two people having the same birthday. Justin
corrects--He meant isn�t it amazing that both Michael and Brian
are in love with guys who share the same birthday. Ben comes
out of the bedroom and Michael hides the Palm. They invite
Justin to stay for dinner. Ben is cooking and they�re going to stay
home and watch a movie together. Justin says he can�t stay be-
cause he�s meeting Brian �at Babylon� Ben and Michael finish for
him. Mikey and Ben are all lovey-dovey and Justin watches wistfully.
At the bar of Babylon, Justin brings up having the same birthday as
Ben, dropping the hint that it is *his* birthday this weekend, too.
Ted asks what Brian and Justin plan to do for Justin�s birthday. A
trip out of town, maybe? Justin likes the idea, but Brian says he
has no intention of celebrating. �Anyone can get born�, he declares,
even Ted did. The only thing Brian celebrates is achievement.
Justin is hurt by that. Ted reminds that Brian threw Michael a big
birthday bash for Mikey�s 30th. (But I believe that was because
Brian had an ulterior motive in mind for that party.) Justin is still
disappointed by Brian�s reaction to his birthday, but goes along with
Brian anyhow, saying that birthdays are silly. Who needs them.
Emmett leaves the dance floor and the cutie he was dancing with
and joins the guys at the bar. He�s still depressed over losing
George. He has tried everything--boys, booze, drugs, nothing
picks him up. Ted thinks that Emmett should go to church with
him then.
Well . . . this is like no church I have ever seen! LOL! The minister
is dressed in shiny gold sequins and making reference to Broadway
in his sermon. It�s the good Reverend Brad and his Holy Church of
Show Tunes, apparently. They start to sing, yes, you guessed it,
show tunes and Em finds himself enjoying it while Ted shares a
hymnal with the cute guy standing next to him.
After the sermon, Ted is helping the cute guy gather the hymnals.
They start to chat. The guy�s name is Luke and he�s a teacher
who works with charities in his spare time. He and Ted are
hitting it off and Luke asks what Ted does for a living. Ted tells
a half-truth, saying that he runs an internet business that provides
�relief� to those in need. Luke gets the wrong impression, thinking
it�s some type of charity. Ted lets him believe that.
At the diner, Mikey is planning Ben�s party, but Brian thinks it
sounds lame. What about nudity and drugs? Mikey says this
isn�t going to be one of Brian�s parties. Besides, he can�t
afford to go too big. Em offers to help and asks what Ben�s
interests are. Ben is into Yoga and Buddhism, Mikey says.
Emmett suggests a party themed for that. Debbie comes over
to their booth, but Michael gets all hushed about the party.
Brian rats Mikey out, though, saying that Michael is planning
a surprise gathering for Ben�s birthday. Debbie doesn�t like
that news. Once she leaves the table, Mikey asks why Brian
had to do that. He doesn�t need anymore crap from his
mother about Ben. Em thinks Michael should invite Deb to
the party, Mikey doesn�t think so.
At Lindsay and Mel�s, Justin is eating spaghetti at their table
while they clean up from dinner. The ladies are talking about
his birthday and are unhappy that Brian isn�t going to do
anything special for him. (Being around all these happy, loving
couples is making Justin feel all the more unsatisfied with how
things currently are with him and Brian.) Lindz and Mel say
that they should throw Justin a party, but he declines the offer.
Lindz brings up a violin recital that she and Mel are to attend
that Saturday and they invite Justin to come with them. Justin
isn�t very keen on the idea, classical music is not his thing. But
Lindz says that the guy playing also attends P.I.F.A. with Justin.
He�s said to be incredibly talented. And cute. That gets
Justin�s attention. They should have told him the guy was cute
to begin with!
Ben and Michael are walking down the street together when
Ben stops and buys Michael some flowers from a street vendor.
Michael is touched, but reminds that it�s Ben�s birthday coming
up, not his. Mikey should be buying gifts for Ben, not vice
versa. Ben says he doesn�t want a big deal made out of his
birthday. He wants it low-key. Michael asks what his plans
for that day is and Ben says he�s got classes, yoga, and a
doctor�s appointment. He�d know more definitely if he had
his Palm Pilot, but he should be home around seven. A guy
approaches them on the street then and he and Ben hug. Ben
introduces him to Michael. His name is Paul. They chat a
little before Paul leaves. Ben reveals that Paul is his ex.
They were together about five years ago. Michael does the
math in his head and asks wasn�t that around the time that
Ben tested HIV positive. Ben reveals then that Paul is the
man who infected him. Michael is floored by the news.
Ben is just way too nice at this moment, saying that it�s in
the past now. Paul didn�t know he was positive when they
were together and Ben says he should have been more
careful to protect himself. Ben has forgiven Paul for
infecting him. Michael is amazed by his great boyfriend.
Michael, Ted, and Emmett are working out at the gym and Mikey
can�t get over the fact that Ben has forgiven the man who infected
him with HIV. Ben is a friggin� saint! Ted and Emmett can�t
believe it, either. Ted would want to kill Paul if it were him. Mikey
says that Ben has freed himself from the past. (Ben is perfect, boys
and girls, just in case we missed that point anywhere in the last
few episodes.)
Ted and Emmett start to talk about the Church of The Holy Show
Tunes. Ted goes on and on about the great guy he met, Luke.
Luke is perfect, too. The only problem being that Luke doesn�t
know he runs a porn site. Saint Luke thinks Ted runs a �relief
organization�. Mikey and Em are like--�You lied to him�. Ted
is afraid that Luke won�t like anymore if Luke knows he really
runs a porn site.
At the loft, Lindz and Mel are there to take Justin to the recital and
they�re berating Brian for not doing anything for Justin�s birthday.
Brian could at least buy him a cake or something. Brian says no cake.
He�s watching his weight. Brian tells the girls to get off his back as he
goes back to his work. Justin comes out of the bedroom then, dressed
in one ugly shirt and a new sports coat that his mother bought him for
his birthday, he explains. His tie is undone and Justin is fumbling with
it, prompting Brian to ask if Justin�s father never taught Justin him how
to tie a tie. Justin says no, Justin�s father was too busy kicking him out
and beating up Brian. Brian replies that his father new taught him how
to tie one, either. Jack was always too busy hating Brian and regretting
the day Brian was born. (Hmmm, I do believe this is part of the reasons
Brian doesn�t �do birthdays�. His miserable family never made one
special for him so he misses the point of making them special for other
people.) Brian walks over to Justin and starts to tie his tie, laughing that
this isn�t the �birthday suit� he was hoping to see Justin in. He tells
Justin to go get some culture and kisses him on the forehead. Justin and
Mel leave, but Lindz lingers behind to have a few final words with Brian.
Lindz says she doesn�t understand Brian. She can see how much he loves
Justin, yet he won�t celebrate Justin�s birthday because he only celebrate
people�s �achievements and accomplishments�, which apparently doesn�t
include birthdays. Lindsay asks isn�t it an accomplishments that Justin is
alive and well and happy right now?! (Thank you Lindz! That�s exactly
what I was thinking! The poor kid got his head bashed in with a baseball
bat just a few months ago! The fact that he *lived* to see 19 is one huge
fucking accomplishment!) Lindz�s point is made and she leaves.
At the recital, the violinist is a cutie named Ethan who is also very
talented. Justin is caught up in watching and listening to him play.
Justin takes out a pencil, flips over the program, and starts to sketch
Ethan as Ethan plays.
At Deb�s, Vic is giving Michael a kimono that Emmett wanted to
borrow for Ben�s party, which Emmett has decided will have a middle
eastern theme. Vic once wore the kimono to a party several years
ago. Michael reminds Vic not to be late. Debbie overhears them
talking about the party. She has not been invited. Michael asks her
to come and Debbie claims that she already has plans to go out
with a girl friend of hers. After Michael leaves, Vic calls Deb on
her lie. She hasn�t spoken to that friend in years. Vic reminds that
Debbie was suppose to be more open minded about Ben. Ben is a
good influence on Michael. Deb still can�t get past his HIV status.
Vic points out that Ben is doing great health wise and Michael is fine,
too. She should be more supportive of Mikey�s happiness.
After the recital, Mel, Lindz, and Justin are at the reception, enjoying
the finger foods and chatting about Ethan, who is sitting nearby greeting
and talking with his fans. Lindz and Mel are amazed by how good he
is and Justin quotes from the program, saying that Ethan started playing
when he was four and studied with a master. Mel and Lindz joke that
they have converted Justin into a fan. The ladies go off to chat with a
friend of theirs and Justin approaches Ethan. (A quick opinion on Ethan
from me--He�s cute, well, very cute, and a little arrogant. I can see why
he caught Justin�s attention.)
Justin nervously approaches Ethan, who is sitting down, and tells Ethan
that he thought Ethan�s performance was great. Ethan dismisses the
compliment and disagrees. He gave a bad performance and it�s all Justin�s
fault. Justin just looks at him like, �Huh�? Ethan explains that Justin was
starting at him and it was distracting. Justin starts to apologize but Ethan
adds that it wasn�t distracting �in a bad way�. Aw, Ethan is definitely
flirting now. Justin and Ethan introduce themselves and Ethan notices the
program that Justin has doodled on. Justin looks a little embarrassed as
Ethan takes it from him, smiling that �it�s me in five variations�. Justin
replies that sketching is a habit for him that he can�t stop. Ethan under-
stands that. He could play music in his sleep. He asks Justin if Justin
attends P.I.F.A., too and Justin says he�s majoring in art. Ethan replies
that he thought he recognized Justin from around campus. Justin says
that his friends brought him to the recital for his birthday. Cue the girls,
who walk by with knowing smiles and little waves, embarrassing Justin.
Ethan gives Justin one of his CD�s as a birthday gift. Justin comments
on the picture of Ethan that is on the cover and Ethan looks at Justin�s
drawings, saying next time he will use one of Justin�s pictures on the
cover instead of a photo of himself. Justin says for him to do that. They
get interrupted by other well-wishers wanting to speak to Ethan. Justin
walks off and Ethan turns to watch him leave, clearly interested.
Ted and Luke are 69�ing one another. Afterwards, they�re
kissing and cuddling. Luke thinks Ted is a wonderful lover.
He thinks Ted is just great. So nice and sweet and honest.
Ted is someone he can trust. Cue Ted�s guilt here. Ted
confesses at this point, admitting that he runs a porn web
site. Luke is surprised, but then decides that it doesn�t
bother him. He cares about Ted, not Ted�s job. Ted can�t
believe his good luck! (Neither can I. Hey, this is Ted!
Nothing good lasts for him!) But, for the moment, Ted is
happy.
Back at the loft, Brian is repairing a barstool and Justin is playing
Ethan�s CD for Brian and tries to tell Brian how incredibly talented
Ethan is. Brian just jokes that Justin is starting to like classical music
now. Justin thinks it wouldn�t hurt Brian to get a little cultural. Brian
says he has �had� culture before. He once fucked a classical musician.
Justin doesn�t really want to hear about it and turns back to the CD
player. Brian comes up behind him then, putting his hands over Justin�s
eyes and asking if Justin is ready for another birthday surprise. Justin is
almost giddy, turning and throwing his arm�s around Brian�s neck and
kissing him. Justin says he knew that Brian was going to do this. Brian
was just pretending not to care about his birthday. He knew Brian had
it in mind to surprise him with something. Justin is just thrilled, happily
asking Brian what his surprise is. Justin starts to walk away to look for
it but Brian comes up behind him again and covers his eyes like before.
Brian starts walking him towards the bedroom. (Such a cute scene be-
cause I think this is more Randy�s reaction to being lead blind across the
room, laughing that he�s going to trip.) In the bedroom, Brian removes
his hands and Justin�s face falls in utter disbelief at his �gift�. On the
bed lies a hustler, wearing nothing but a red bow. (I would be mad, too,
folks. Because not only did Brian buy Justin a prostitute for his birthday,
but he got him an extremely unattractive one at that!) Brian says that the
guy looks like an underwear model that Justin said was hot. Justin turns
back to face Brian and forces a smile, like he�s ok with this. Brian tells
him to unwrap his gift and Justin unties the bow from the hustler. Hustler
pulls Justin onto the bed, telling Justin �Happy Birthday�. Brian watches.
At Ben�s apartment, Em is all dolled up and greeting everyone as
they arrive. Ted and Luke show up and Ted introduces Luke to a
few of his friends. Michael is surprised but pleased when Debbie
comes to the party with Vic. Deb says that Ben is making Mikey
happy so she can come and wish him a good birthday. Deb and
Michael hug. Mel and Lindz talk to Luke and they bring up the
porn site that Ted runs and they give Luke a horrible impression
of it. Michael starts rushing everyone in place because someone
is coming up the stairs and it must be Ben. The door opens,
everyone jumps out and yells �Surprise�, only to find that it�s
Brian and Justin. Michael scolds them for arriving late to a
surprise party. Brian replies that they got held up because they
were having a little celebration of their own.
Lindz and Mel overhear and pull Justin aside. They�re happy that
Brian did something for Justin. That is, until Justin tells them that
Brian bought him a hustler. The girls are pissed. Justin is just
disappointed.
Michael tells everyone to get in place again. This time, it really is
Ben. They all greet Ben with a �SURPRISE�. A rather frazzled
looking Ben is furious, to say the least. He demands to know what
is going on. Michael returns his Palm Pilot then, explaining that he
borrowed it to invite all of Ben�s friends over to celebrate Ben�s big
day. Ben is irate and rips into Michael, saying that Michael had no
right. He told Mikey he didn�t want a party. Michael tries to calm
him down saying that his friends are here because they care about
him. Paul--the man who infected Ben--is there, too, and Ben stares
hatefully at Paul as he scoffs over the idea that his friends are here.
Ben orders everyone out of his place. Michael is hurt and in shock
over the way Ben is acting. Debbie is pissed--So this is the great
guy her son loves? Michael is hurt and embarrassed, watching
as everyone starts to leave.
A now furious Michael is stomping through the park with Brian,
bitching about Ben and what a fool he must be. All this time he
thought Ben was this great, incredible, amazing guy. He thought
Ben was some saint who lived on a higher spiritual plane than
the rest of them. How could he have been so wrong? So fooled
by the guy? How could Ben humiliate Mikey and his friends
like that? Brian asks Michael to please change the song he�s
singing because Brian is sick to death of hearing Michael sing
variations of his theme song--�Poor Little Mikey�. (Hmmm, I
guess Brian is as sick of hearing Mikey whine as the rest of us
are by now!) Michael snaps that he�s so sorry he is boring Brian.
Then he asks what the hell he did that was so wrong, besides
throw Ben a party. Brian replies that Michael wants too much.
He expects too much. And when his heroes disappoint him by
being imperfect, then Mikey is all hurt about it. Michael asks
what the alternative is, then. To be like Brian? �To expect
nothing, to want nothing�?
At work, Ted is overseeing his performers on his site when Luke
shows up. Ted is happy to see him, but then Luke starts to break
up with Ted. Luke thought he could handle the porn business. He
tried to be OK with it, but he just isn�t. Ted doesn�t want to lose
Luke so he says that he will give up his work. Luke says no, he
doesn�t want that. Luke�s unease with the porn site is his problem
to deal with, not Ted�s. Ted is insistent that he loves Luke and will
do whatever it takes to stay with Luke. Luke says no. It�s over.
Luke leaves. Ted struggles not to break down.
Brian is helping Mel and Lindz load some lumber they have bought
to remodel the attic. Lindz goes back into the store when she
realizes she left her credit card behind. Mel brings up the hustler
that Brian bought Justin for a gift. Does he really think sex with a
hired prostitute is a good birthday gift? Brian replies that he didn�t
hear Justin complaining. Mel shots back that Justin never will to
Brian because he doesn�t want to disappoint Brian. Brian asks why
she is bitching about it then. Mel answers that she can and will
call Brian on it because, unlike Justin, she�s not in love with him.
Brian smirks that he�s finally found someone who isn�t. Mel says
that Brian should have gotten Justin a better gift and Brian asks
what it is that Justin wants then. Mel says he just wants something
thoughtful, considerate, romantic. Brian mocks that they�re not a
couple of dykes and asks if Mel really expects him to buy Justin
flowers? Mel asks what would be so wrong with that. Brian replies
that Justin isn�t his little wife, they�re not straight or married. Mel
asks him can�t he put aside his attitude long enough to show Justin
that he cares about Justin? Brian replies that he thought Justin
already knew that. (Yes, but Brian, dear, it never hurts to remind
him now and then!)
On the campus of P.I.F.A., Justin is walking through the music building,
following the sound of violin music. He looks into a room to see Ethan
practicing. Ethan doesn�t notice him at first. Justin is hesitant about
interrupting, but then Ethan sees him and immediately stops playing,
looking a little embarrassed. They smile nervously at each other. Ethan
is wearing a scarf and heavy sweater and explains that he thought Justin
might be the maintenance guy coming by to fix the heat. It�s not working.
Justin apologizes for that and Ethan suggests that maybe things will heat
up now that Justin is there. (Ok, he�s really cute, but that was a cheesy
line.) Justin says that he was just cutting through the music building and
heard the playing and thought if might be Ethan. Ethan offers him some
tea, but Justin declines. A moment of nervous, awkward silence before
Ethan says that it�s really hard playing <spouts off the name of some
musical piece> when the room is so cold that his bow is icing over.
Justin thanks him for the CD again, saying that he listened to it six
times. He thinks Ethan is incredible. Ethan agrees, he is incredible.
Ethan walks to Justin then, asking how Justin�s birthday was. Did he
have a big party? Justin says no. His boyfriend doesn�t think the day
he was born is worth celebrating. Ethan looks disappointed and says
that sucks. Justin replies that he really didn�t want a party to begin
with. �No, I mean that you have a boyfriend,� Ethan corrects. Ethan
goes on to say that if he were Justin�s boyfriend he would give Justin
a birthday that Justin would never forget. Justin asks what Ethan
would do. Ethan declares while resting his violin bow against Justin�s
chest that first he would bring Justin breakfast in bed, then he would
play Ravel Valse Noble E Sentimentale for Justin because that is how
he pictures Justin to be--Noble and Sentimental. Then they would
make love a few hundred times. And all that before lunch. �But I�m
not your boyfriend,� Ethan finishes. Justin says he has to go back to
class. He leaves and Ethan resumes playing.
Michael answers the knock on his door to find a rumpled and
exhausted looking Ben. Michael is still mad at him. Ben says that
he missed Michael the last few nights. Michael felt it best that they
sleep apart. In fact, he thinks it best if they just part all together.
Ben tries to apologize, saying that he was a little �upset� at the
party and Mikey calls him on it, saying he was an out-of-control
monster. Ben agrees that he was, but there was a reason. His T-
cells are down and his viral load is up. In other words, Ben got
one bad doctor�s report just before he came home to find people
there wanting to celebrate. The cocktail isn�t working for him
and the virus is becoming resistant. Michael asks if the doctors
can change his meds and Ben says they already have. Ben starts
to light up a cigarette and a shocked Mikey asks since when does
Ben smoke? �Since I�m nervous�, Ben fires back. He tells
Mikey to look at him--really look at him--he�s not perfect. He
has tried to be. He�s tried religion and meditation and spirituality
and forgiveness but none of it has really worked. All he managed
to do was fool himself into believing in it. It�s all just bullshit that
doesn�t help in the long run. Michael disagrees. It�s not bull to
Ben. He�s just upset right now. Ben says that he hurt Michael,
the one person who means the most to him in this world, and
there is no excuse for that. Michael forgives Ben in that instant,
hugging him and saying that there is forgiveness for it. After all,
Ben is just human, not perfect.
A close up of Justin�s beautiful face. He�s alone at the loft, sitting
in the bar stool Brian was repairing earlier, and flipping through
his sketches of the �Rage� comic. He settles on a picture of Rage
cradling an injured J.T. in his arms after J.T. is bashed. Justin
lifts the sketch and underneath it is Ethan�s CD. He puts the
CD to playing. (I love this ending.) Justin�s sitting backwards
in the stool, which has rollers on it, by the way. The loft is in the
pale, romantic glow of soft lights and the sound of violin music
fills the loft as Justin �slow dances� to the music, rolling the chair
around the loft in a beautiful, beautiful scene.
Roses line the cart of a street vendor and Brian is staring at them,
contemplating taking Mel�s advice after all and buying them for
Justin. He picks them up and the vendor asks if he�d like them
wrapped. Brian struggles with whether to take this step towards
admitting his feelings or not and . . . well, damn, he�s Brian and
nothing is ever easy for Brian. He tells the vendor no thanks and
puts the roses back. The final scene is Brian walking alone down
the lit street.