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Sunny day
Sweepin' the clouds away
On my way to where the air is sweet
Can you tell me how to get
How to get to Sesame Street?
Shane and Ilya had gotten the call a few weeks back. It was hard for them to believe they were even here, standing on Sesame St. surrounded by their favourite muppets. When Shane had answered the phone he thought it was just his agent checking in after several months of online attention after their accidental outing. Instead, he’d burst into tears hearing that Sesame St. wanted to feature him and Ilya on a segment of an upcoming pride month episode. It was an honour to even be considered, let alone contacted. Now, they sat beside each other on the steps of 123 Sesame St. next to Elmo. It was surreal.
Elmo: Hi Mr. Shane and Mr. Ilya!
Shane: Hey Elmo!
Ilya: Hello!
Elmo: Elmo’s going around Sesame St. checking in on everybody, and Elmo wants to know how Shane and Ilya are doing?
Shane: We’re so happy to be here with you Elmo, wow.
Elmo: Elmo is happy you’re here too!
Ilya: We’re doing okay, but sometimes things are hard you know?
Elmo: Yes, Elmo knows! What’s going on?
Shane: Well, people found out that Mr. Ilya and I are in love.
Elmo: Well that’s great! Elmo is so happy for you!
Ilya: Haha, thank you Elmo.
Elmo: Why are you sad about love Mr. Shane? Elmo loves love!
Shane: Well, Elmo. Some people are not very happy that we are in love.
Ilya: They do not understand.
Elmo: Elmo is confused… Love is a happy thing, right?
Shane: Yes of course it is Elmo!
Elmo: Then everyone should be happy!
Ilya: You are right. They should be.
Shane: You see, Elmo. Sometimes people don’t like when people like me and Mr. Ilya fall in love. They don’t think that should happen.
Elmo: But why?
Ilya: Well, Shane and I are both men, Elmo.
Elmo: Well that’s okay!
Shane: Yes, it is okay.
Elmo: Elmo thinks that as long as you are happy that they should be happy! Are you happy Mr. Ilya?
Ilya: Yes, Elmo. I am very happy.
Elmo: Are you happy Mr. Shane?
Shane: Yes. I’ve never been happier.
Elmo: That is great! Being happy is the most important thing, Elmo thinks. Who you love doesn’t matter as long as you are happy!
Ilya: You are right. Mr. Shane and I forget this sometimes.
Elmo: Our brains like to play tricks on us!
Shane: They definitely do. Mine really does.
Elmo: Well, when Elmo feels sad or lonely, Elmo tries to remember that he has friends! Do you have friends, Mr. Shane?
Shane: Yes, I do, Elmo. I love my friends and they love me. Mr. Ilya has lots of friends who love him too.
Elmo: Wow! You sure do have lots of people who love you! Elmo thinks you’re very lucky.
Shane’s eyes welled up with tears as he swallowed a lump in his throat. He didn’t want to cry on Sesame St. in front of an entire camera crew, but how could he not when he was sitting with the man he loved as Elmo told him just how lucky he was. It was almost too much to bear. Ilya jumped in to rescue Shane from his emotions - as he often did as of late.
Ilya: Mr. Shane and I are very grateful for our friends. Sometimes it is difficult though, no? When you wake up and know that so many people don’t want you to be happy. Even if you are.
Elmo: Yes, Elmo is sorry to hear that. What would you say to those people?
Shane: I’m not sure, Elmo. It’s easier to pretend that it’s not happening than it is to face it. It takes a lot of courage to do something like that.
Ilya: And Mr. Shane is very brave, but even brave people like him get sad and scared about what people think. I do too.
Elmo: Elmo thinks we can’t control what everyone thinks, but we can show them how love and kindness is better for everyone, right?
Shane: Yes, we can do that.
Elmo: Even if some people don’t like Elmo, it is okay because Elmo likes himself! Even though it is nice that Elmo has lots of friends, he wouldn’t be very happy if he didn’t like Elmo too.
Ilya: Elmo, you are very smart.
Elmo: Well thank you Mr. Ilya! You are smart too!
Shane: Loving yourself should be easy, but it’s harder than you think, Elmo. It’s something that you have to work on - especially as you grow up.
Elmo: That’s true!
Shane: But… It's also true that the best things in life are normally hard work. Isn’t that right Mr. Ilya?
Ilya: Yes, Mr. Shane. That’s right.
Shane could tell that Ilya was getting a bit misty at this point too.
Elmo: You both would know a lot about hard work! Elmo has watched you play hockey with your friends on TV!
Shane: Yeah, our friends.
Ilya: You know Elmo, I think Mr. Shane and I could use one more friend.
Elmo: Well, Elmo would love to be one of your friends!
Shane: We’d love to be friends with you, Elmo.
Ilya: You can never have too many friends.
Elmo: Especially friends who support you and love you!
Ilya: Yes, especially that.
Elmo: Elmo thinks we should sing a song to celebrate your love! Would you sing with me?
Shane: We’d love to, Elmo.
Elmo: Yay! I just have one more guest to bring on to help with the song. Is that okay?
Ilya: The more the merrier!
Elmo: Elmo would like to introduce you to Kermit the Frog!
Ilya: Kermit! I am a big fan!
Kermit: Oh well that’s lovely Mr. Ilya, I’ve watched you skating around a little bit and it’s a lot of fun, hahaha!
Shane: Can you skate, Kermit?
Kermit: Why yes I can! What kind of frog would I be if I couldn’t skate?
Ilya: Is that a known thing? That frogs can skate?
Shane: Ilya, of course it is.
Shane shook his head and gave him a fond look.
Ilya: I knew this. I was just testing you moye solnyshko.
Ilya took his hand. The music started and Shane took a deep breath.
Kermit: Why are there so many
Songs about rainbows
Ilya: And what's on the other side?
Kermit: Rainbows are visions
But only illusions
Shane: And rainbows have nothing to hide
Elmo: So we've been told, and some choose to believe it
I know they're wrong, wait and see
All: Someday we'll find it
The rainbow connection
The lovers, the dreamers, and me…
[Song continues]
Elmo: Well, thank you for joining us today Mr. Shane and Mr. Ilya!
Ilya: Thank you for having us.
Shane: It’s always nice to visit Sesame St.
Elmo: Elmo thinks you should come back any time! Everyone is welcome on Sesame St.
[End segment]
Shane and Ilya stood side by side on the steps and took in the set as the crew dispersed for their next segment without them. The last several months had been simultaneously the most difficult and beautiful time of Shane’s life. He was planning a wedding, fielding constant questions from the media, shut out by his own teammates, and was even ready to take a pay cut to be traded to another organization after years of dedicated ice time with the Metros. Most days he was happy, finally being able to embrace Ilya and love him the way he’d wanted to for years - out loud. But sometimes the noise was too much and the questions and concerns that plagued them during the day haunted them in the night as well. A couple brands had dropped them since the video of them in Hayden’s yard hit the internet, and no one knew what the future held for their careers. Being able to be here on Sesame St. - a historic television show outside of the narrow scope of hockey - was a breath of fresh air.
Shane had been surrounded by the hockey world his entire life. It was all he knew. Ilya had experienced a similar life but even worse - given how his government and family felt about his sexuality. Still, he was more confident and loud about it than Shane had been up until the video dropped, and Shane found himself wanting to do more for his community and embrace himself as much as possible. He wanted to be there for Ilya and for all the young kids that were scared and unsure of themselves. Kids who didn’t think they were worthy of the same sort of love and support that their friends got, just because of who they were. It was important to him.
Sesame St. had allowed him to take the first major steps in doing that. The fact that their reach far exceeded the lens of the sports world was a big bonus. For the first time in a while, Shane was able to see just how much love and support there was for him, Ilya, and others like them when he stepped out of the world he’d holed himself up in for so long. Hockey was important to him and it always would be. But Shane was starting to think that maybe breaking out of that safety net would be good for him after all.
“You are okay, milyy?” Ilya rubbed his back gently.
“Yeah, I’m great.” Shane kissed his cheek, smiling up fondly at his bright, toothy grin. “Let’s go find Big Bird. I think we could both use a hug from him.”
Shane and Ilya walked hand in hand to go find their favourite muppet, their hearts a little more full than when they’d arrived.