Forgotten Song

Ben Carson is walking home after working his shift at Marco’s when he sees Eric for the first time.  Eric is all temper and no restraint and Ben sees him kicking a man far bigger than him in the groin on the street. When Eric also hits Ben’s friend Malcolm, a bartender at the Alley Cat, Ben steps in and grabs Eric.  Expecting a fight he’s shocked when Eric immediately went still and practically begged to be let go.  When Ben releases him, he looks like he wants to say something and then collapses on the street, hitting his head.  As Ben is calling 911 to have Eric taken to the hospital, he wakes up and asks that he not call the police and says he won’t go to the hospital.  He claims he hasn’t eaten or slept in several days and that’s the reason he lost conscious.  Since he’s staying at a shelter and obviously hasn’t been taking very good care of himself, Ben decides that Eric will go home with him.

Once they finally get to Ben’s apartment, Eric becomes agitated by Ben’s desire to clean the wound on his head.  Ben also notices that Eric isn’t wearing any shoes and his feet are filthy and covered in wounds in varying stages of healing.  As the two men talk, Eric defensively admits to being gay but relaxes when Ben tells him that he is also gay.  He also admits that he had to leave his home in Alabama in a hurry and had heard that Asheville, North Carolina is a haven for gays.  Ben is burning with curiosity about why Eric would have had to leave in such a hurry.  It’s obvious he’s extremely agitated by being touched, somebody has hurt him and Ben wonders who.  Ben is attracted to Eric and once he strips down to his boxers to sleep, Ben knows he desperately desires him, but he needs to gain his trust first.  If only he could find out what Eric is running from, maybe he could help.

Forgotten Song is a beautifully written tale of a man who is badly damaged by events of his past that haunt him to such a degree that he’s afraid to try to love again.  Ben’s love, patience and understanding help to heal Eric and help him to see that his past wasn’t his fault - he is worth loving.  I was very touched by Eric and Ben’s dedication to each other, most of the heterosexuals couples I know don’t share a bond as strong as Eric and Ben.  I found myself drawn into the story and felt sickened by the events that Eric reveals that lead to the reason for his fears.  Yet, I also felt extreme pride in Eric’s strength to have survived everything and still care enough to try to love and heal himself.  I admit, I have never read a gay story before though some books have had some aspect of it but this is the first fully gay book I have read, I have a new respect for gay couples and the issues they face.