Tigers & Devils (30 page)

From the Herald Sun, 1 October

AFL STAR IN SECRET GAY SHOCKER!

By Peter Van Niuewen

minor, was visiting a patient and observed

Tyler and his unknown companion. He

These exclusive photos, given to the managed to obtain these photos using the
Herald Sun
by a sharp-eyed member of

camera on his mobile phone.

the public, reveal that one of the most

well-known stars of AFL is allegedly in a

All attempts to reach Tyler for comment

secret homosexual relationship.

were futile as the Tyler family are in

seclusion at the family home in Glenroy.

It will undoubtedly come as a shock to

fans of the Devils that midfielder Declan

At present little is known about the

Tyler, Brownlow Medallist, appears to be

mystery man in the photographs, but it has

gay. These photos, however, will dispel

to be noted that this has been Tyler’s

any doubts.

worst season ever since he turned pro.

They were taken in the grounds of St.

The AFL board, Devils’ coach Scott

Vincent’s Hospital, where Tyler’s father

Frasier, and team CEO Ed Wallace also

was admitted after suffering a heart attack

have declined to respond at the time of

on Sunday. The photographer, who printing.

doesn’t wish to be named, and is also a

A reticent star player… more on Page 4

From column
“The Scene”,
Reach Out, 3rd October
NOT SO SHOCKING TO SOME

An editorial by Jasper Brunswick

photos as fakes posed with look-alikes or

It seems that the straight world is excellent Photoshop jobs. currently getting their knickers in a knot

But what does this mean for Tyler’s future

over the fact that Declan Tyler, one of the

in his chosen field? Is the AFL world

biggest stars in AFL, has been outed. This

ready for an openly gay player? Is Tyler

has led to an uproar over the belief that

himself ready for it? I would suggest he

one of the best players in recent history

probably isn’t, or else he would have

can’t possibly be a
fag
, after all, fags are

come out of his own volition.

better known for carrying a handbag than

There have been whispers about Tyler for

a ball, right?

some time. And not only amongst the gay

At the moment it probably seems community. Tyler always has been loath unimaginable to those who watch Tyler

to discuss his personal life and his

prowl upon the field like a modern relationship with frequent Brownlow gladiator that a sports star of his calibre

attendee Jessica Wells. Privacy always

could be queer, and there may be many

automatically invites suspicion with the

who try to write off the recently published

general public as well.

208 | SEAN KENNEDY

But who is the mystery man in the the section where he talks about what it controversial photos?

means to him personally to choose queerHe is no stranger to
Reach Out
. In fact, he friendly films.

has been profiled by us and was about to

You can rest assured that we will probably

be interviewed again.

be hearing a lot about him in the

Simon Murray, 27, is the director of the

mainstream press in the weeks to come as

Triple F film festival, which acts as a a new interest will be shown in his life, showcase for truly underground, both with Declan Tyler and outside their independent filmmaking and also presents

relationship.

a large number of LGBTQ-related pieces

Only one thing is certain—life as they

in its programming each year. We have

know it will never be the same again.

reprinted a previous interview we have
Interview with Simon Murray, page 6.
had with him in this edition, highlighting

From the Herald Sun, 4th October

TYLER’S SECRET GAY LOVER REVEALED!

By Peter Van Niuewen

seclusion at his family’s home in Glenroy

A local gay weekly has revealed the while his father is under treatment at St. identity of the mystery man at the centre

Vincent’s Hospital; Murray has his

of the recent Declan Tyler photographs.

answering service fielding his calls. Miss

Jessica Wells isn’t talking and her female

Simon Murray, 27, is the director of the

“roommate” is maintaining silence as

Triple F film festival, which specialises in

well. The AFL and the Tasmanian Devils

exhibiting independent cinema, usually Football Club have yet to release with a large number of gay-friendly statements.

entrants. Attempts to contact Murray have

been fruitless, and his assistant Nyssa Calls to other players for comment have Prati refuses to comment.

not been returned, leading to speculation

that the club has issued a gag order.

Gay columnist Jasper Brunswick, who has

worked closely with Murray in the past,

“This is going to be huge for both the gay

was the source who revealed the identity

and the football communities,” Brunswick

of Tyler’s secret boyfriend. “We sat on

says. “People are going to have to change

this story for quite some time,” Brunswick

their perceptions on all counts. We have

said in a phone interview, “as we are not

never had a sports star this popular come

in the habit of outing people. However,

out, and never at the height of their career.

seeing as the Declan Tyler story became

He
could
serve as a role model for so

headline news in other media, it has now

many people.”

become newsworthy, and we couldn’t Meanwhile, this newly minted role model ignore it.”

seems to be in hiding.

All parties involved in this matter are
Your say… page 12

remaining silent. Tyler remains in

THE world had gone crazy.

A full contingent of Australian media seemed to be camping out on my doorstep. I could only assume that they had partners-in-crime who would be doing the same on the Tyler house in Glenroy, and my suspicions were confirmed when I saw it on the news that night. I had started taking my car to work—the days that I actually went—grimly battling through the journalists as I left my house each morning, wishing that I had one of those new ugly houses with a carport and a door that led directly to the kitchen so I could escape in relative privacy.

I didn’t answer the many questions that were thrown at me, not even to say no comment, the stock response given in many a news report by the hounded object of the item. It infuriated the pack, and their questions became more pointed and gradually even more insulting in order to provoke a response from me.

“Simon, do you have something to hide?”

“Simon, is your silence because you are ashamed?”

“Where’s Declan? Have you two broken up already?”

I sang songs in my head to distract me. Eventually I barely heard them, I was too busy concentrating on whatever inane tune was working as a filter. Nyssa had to hold them off at work and was now locking the doors so that anybody couldn’t just waltz in from off the street and demand to speak to me. It didn’t help that Nyssa was upset with me for having kept her in the dark.

“It’s just that I thought we were friends,” she said on the same day that the newspaper had printed the photographs.

“We are,” I told her earnestly.

“It doesn’t feel like that to me right now.”

“It’s a difficult situation, Nyss. I couldn’t tell everybody. Only Fran and Roger knew.”

“Of course they did.”

Her sunny disposition had all but evaporated.

As had mine. It took two days for Declan to call me.

“Are you okay?” he asked. No hello.

212 | SEAN KENNEDY

“I should be asking you that.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t call you straight away… you have no idea how crazy it’s been here.”

“I can imagine,” I said dryly. “I had a journo from some trash rag trying to crawl in through the cat door.”

“I’ve seen you on the news.”

“I think
everyone’s
seen me on the news. My mum’s taping them for the show reel of shame, probably to be wheeled out in a few years for my thirtieth.”

“How are your family taking it?”

“I think the better question is, how are yours?”

He took a long, deep breath. “Dammit, Simon, I can’t talk to you over the phone like this. I want to see you.”

“That’s probably going to be real difficult.”

“I know. Even Jess has people waiting outside her house.”

“I know somewhere we can go.”

“Where?” His voice had a soft note of hope in it.

“Fran and Roger’s.”

“But you’re—”

“Roger and I are fine. Can you get there in an hour?”

“Of course.” He paused. “Simon, just in case you’ve been worried… I love you.”

I smiled for the first time in days. There was part of me that wanted to castigate him for not being in contact, but I couldn’t. “It hasn’t changed on my end either, doofus.”

OF course, I hadn’t been so convinced of that a couple of days ago. I was sure Declan hated me because only a short time after coming into his life, I had ruined it. Not hearing from him only seemed to cement that fear in my mind. Was he at home being berated by his family and pressured into saying that this was a temporary aberration that was all my fault? Was I being painted as the evil, gay predator who corrupted their innocent son?

As soon as I had gotten rid of Nyssa (which wasn’t hard as she was trying to avoid me anyway to drive home just how upset with me she was), I tried Declan’s mobile only to find it was switched off. I left work early, stupidly pulling my scarf over the lower half of my face in pretence of being cold but really to avoid detection as I could see my blurry profile on at least half a dozen newspapers being read on the tram. I had been relatively safe the first day, as my name hadn’t been leaked to the public yet. But as I got home, my mobile started ringing.

Surprisingly, it was my mother.

“What’s up, Mum?”

TIGERS AND DEVILS | 213

“Where are you?”

“At home.”

“Already?”

“I was… not feeling very well.”

“I hope you aren’t coming down with that virus that’s going around. Your Aunt Mary couldn’t get off the toilet for three days!”

There
was a vivid image that would do nothing to make me feel better. “Just a cold, I think, Mum.”

“Well, I was just sitting here having a good old laugh. Guess why?”

I sat on the couch, falling heavily. “Why?”

“No, guess!”

Maggie jumped up onto my lap, and I scratched her behind the ears. “Dad accidentally ate the mull cake Tim made again?”

“No!”

“What, then?” I asked impatiently.

“I just got the paper—”

Oh fuck no—

“And apparently Declan Tyler from the Devils is a homosexual!”

“Really?” I asked, one word being about all I could get out.

“And you’d never guess the funny thing!”

“That wasn’t the funny thing?” I asked weakly.

“His boyfriend, well, I guess you would call them
partner
, wouldn’t you?, looks kind of like you!”

“Uh—”

“I showed it to your father, and he said there was
no
way it could be you.”

“What, he doesn’t think I’m good enough for Declan Tyler?” I asked indignantly. Mum laughed. “Well, it’s just… he’s a bit out of your league, isn’t he? It would be like Tim dating, I don’t know, a supermodel.”

Wounded, I took a deep breath and said with as much dignity as I could muster,

“Actually, Mum, it
is
me.”

Mum burst out laughing. “Oh, Simon, stop it!”

“I’m not joking!”

“Just make sure you buy the paper and have a look, okay?”

“Mum—”

“Talk to you later, darling.”

214 | SEAN KENNEDY

As I hung up, I looked down at Maggie. “The whole world has gone fucking insane.”

I continued sitting there with a warm cat in my lap, staring at the wall before me. It seemed like a perfect moment to freeze time, to not have to deal with any further consequences. Archaeologists could find me in three centuries or so and never know my story nor the controversies that were attached to me. I would be dispassionately recorded in a museum log and rolled away into their archives section which would look something like the Pentagon basement in
The X Files
. And there we would be forgotten for eternity.

That seemed like bliss in comparison with my new reality. The knock at my door made both Maggie and I jump.

As she fled for the safety of the bedroom, I cautiously moved towards the door, calling out, “Who is it?”

“Roger.”

It
was
him. No journalist could fake that voice so well. I opened the door immediately, and there he stood. His hands were in his pockets, and he looked at me sheepishly.

“Hi.”

That was as far as we got. He was shocked to find himself with an armful of me. Gradually he hugged me back.

“This… is quite a welcome. Hey, are you
crying
?”

“No,” I sniffed. “Fuck off.”

“Can I come in?” he asked. “Because if the press show up, tomorrow we’ll be on the front page, and they’ll be accusing you of two-timing Declan.”

I laughed, and this time it didn’t feel forced. “Come in.”

It was like the past month had never happened, although Maggie was so surprised to hear his voice again that she came back out to investigate and then happily let him rub her belly.

“I saw the newspaper,” he said.

I fetched us beers from the fridge. “Is that why you decided to forgive me?”

He shrugged. “I figured you needed me.”

“You figured right,” I admitted. “I’m sorry I was being such an arsehole about forgiving you.”

“I’m sorry I was an arsehole in the first place. And then was an arsehole to you, when you stopped being an arsehole.”

The perfect apology.

Now that things were fine between us, I punched him on the shoulder. And not a playful one. “You watched the Grand Final without me!”

“Hey!” he groaned. “If it’s any consolation, I had a really bad time.”

TIGERS AND DEVILS | 215

“I fell asleep,” I admitted.

“Sacrilege!” Roger cried.

“It’s true.”

“Fran tried to watch it with me. She got bored and left into the second quarter and never came back.”

“You should have called me. I would have been over in five minutes.”

“I know. I should have.” He finally got up from where he was crouching over Maggie and sat on the couch opposite me. “So, how are you feeling?”

“About the article? I have no fucking idea. I’m pretending it’s not happening.”

“What did Declan say?”

I shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

“You haven’t spoken to him?”

I shook my head. “His mobile’s turned off. It’s probably been ringing non-stop.”

“I’m sure he’ll call you.”

“Yeah,” I replied, although my tone indicated otherwise.

“You sad sack bastard,” Roger sighed. “I’m calling Fran, getting her to come over here, and we’ll have dinner and cheer you up.”

“I don’t need cheering up.”

But the thought of all three of us being together again was about the only thing that
could
cheer me up at this juncture, although coming in a distant second to getting a call from Declan.

I would only have one day more of anonymity. But I lived it in dread of discovery, coupled with the very real fear that Declan was choosing not to get in contact with me. Nyssa unthawed slightly to me that day, her anger slowly subsiding into a low-level pity for my unfolding drama.

She crept into my office just after lunch and announced that Jasper Brunswick was on the phone. “Do you want me to get rid of him?” she asked. “I know you don’t like talking to him at the best of times.”

This was it. I knew what was coming. “No, I’ll take it.”

Nyssa nodded. “Line two.”

I picked up the phone as she left me in peace. “Simon Murray.”

“Simon, it’s Jasper Brunswick.”

“I’ve been expecting your call. You must love this.”

“Wow, I know you hate me, but you’ve got me all wrong.”

“Really,” I scoffed.

“I did you a favour last time I spoke to you. And believe it or not, but I’m calling you to offer you a second one.”

216 | SEAN KENNEDY

“And what’s that?”

“Declan’s little secret is out. So now we’re going to be publishing some articles about it.”

“Good for you.”

“I’m naming you as his partner.”

If I could have reached through the line to rip out his throat, I would have. It took all the power I had to restrain myself from answering.

“You’re already out, Simon,” he said quickly, to try and justify himself. “It’s not like I’m outing you against your will. You’ve done interviews for the Triple F in which you haven’t hidden your sexuality. And the other papers will find you eventually. We have to print the news too.”

“And make sure you have the scoop, right?” I asked, finally able to speak again rather than simply emitting an outraged howl.

“If we have it, we’d be stupid not to take advantage of it. I’m calling to give you the opportunity to comment.”

“You want a comment?” I asked. “
Fuck you
. That’s my comment.”

I hung up. It was childish and served no purpose, but it felt good. I sat at my desk, trying to figure out what to do. The
Reach Out
would publish tonight and be on the streets tomorrow, which meant the word would spread quickly enough that the other newspapers and online journals would pick up on it by the afternoon. I was in Declan’s position now, and I could understand why he had gone incommunicado.

Maybe I could try and beat Jasper at his own game, beat the scoop by outing myself to the press. But then I realised how that would look, as if I were trying to capitalise upon the story, selling it to the public. Declan Tyler’s little fag gold digger. And what would Declan think, especially as we hadn’t even talked to each other? Surely wherever we went from here should be a decision to make together, even if we were no longer
together
.

Like Declan was obviously doing with me.

I decided it would be classier to stay silent. Let Jasper have his scoop. I hoped he would choke on it.

With a twisted gut, I picked up the phone and called my parents. I hoped like hell nobody was home.