My OTHER little brothers

In addition to my biological family I've "adopted" a few guys from an online gay forum that I moderate. These three guys have become very special to me and I adore them very much. They're all in their 20's, are very smart and have earned a place in my heart as my "little brothers from other mothers".

First, there's Matt. Matt and I met online nearly three years ago. Growing up in a large family in the deep recesses of Mississippi hasn't really afforded Matt the type of gay life one should experience. When he and I first started talking he couldn't even admit to himself that he was gay, but over time and lots of chatting both online and on the phone, he was able to finally look at himself in the mirror and say "I'm a gay man." Since then he's come out to everyone he knows and they've all been very supportive of him. I couldn't be prouder of the fine young man he's turning into! Matt is a funny guy, and when he and I get on a roll, we are constantly laughing at one another. He's a great friend and I look forward to meeting him in real life some day.

Next is Graham. Graham and I also met on the same website about two years ago. Graham lives in South Carolina, is a web developer, strikingly handsome and a bit shy. He's got a BIG heart and is looking for love but for some reason the men he meets always seem to break his heart. I ache for him each time he aches because he's such a sweet guy and has so much love to offer someone. My wish for him is that he finds someone who is worthy of his love and doesn't take advantage of his kindness, someone who will return the vast amount of love he showers on them.

And finally, but certainly not in the very least in last place, is Conor. Conor and I began talking earlier this year, again on the same website, and from the first chat we had we hit it off like best buds. Conor lives in the north of England, is a very sage 23 year old, with a wicked sense of humor and also has a huge heart. I love all three of these guys but Conor holds a special place in my heart because I truly do think of him like a little brother. He looks to me for advice, and I've gone to him for guidance as well, and we complement each other in many ways. It's very rare to find someone you can completely trust and confide in, and Conor's become one of those people in my life. Thanks to Vonage we're able to chat on the phone for free, so we call each other from time to time and talk for ages. He's drunk dialed me a few times, which is always a riot, and he's talked to Nick, my sister Maria and my mom a few times, and they all can't wait to meet him. Nick and I are going to England in December where he'll meet up with us in London with a few of my other British friends and then we'll go off to Newcastle and Manchester together. Then next June he's coming here for 10 days and we'll show him around NY and Long Island.

So there you have it -- my extended family. Some people will say "oh, online relationships aren't real relationships because people act differently online." That may be true if you're looking for love and fall in love online, but these guys are my friends and we not only chat online, but we also talk on the phone which is hard to cover up anything you might not want to let out.
And besides, we're not looking for anything other than friendship from each other, so there's no hidden agendas. They're my boys, plain and simple. I love you guys!