Chapter 5: Re-education
When Jamal had deposited Carl back in his cell, he remained, leaning against the wall, his face amused, regarding Carl. And Carl stared at the big black man for some time before speaking.
“So, you’re all homosexual then?”
Jamal laughed—a deep, joyful sound. “We prefer the word ‘gay’,” he said, “but that’s right—all gay.”
Carl repressed some of the standard words of derision that moiled automatically inside his head—not only did he not want to give Jamal an excuse to beat him up, but he already liked the big, gentle giant enough to not want to offend him.
“Okay,” he said, “gay then. But are all pirates—gay?” Again, he repressed the words that had come to mind, like ‘deviant’ and ‘perversion’.
Jamal laughed again and shook his head. “We’re just like everyone els
