More Happy Than Not

(Age Nine)

Part 0 recounts all the memories that were erased by the Leteo procedure. It begins when Aaron is nine years old and crying because he hates himself, his life, and his family’s small, sad apartment. His mother comforts him, and he says he’s afraid to tell her what he is. His brother Eric shouts that Aaron is gay. Aaron says no, that he’s afraid of going crazy like Uncle Connor and committing suicide. Eric calls Aaron a freak and says he’s only trying to help.

(Age Ten)

Eric and Aaron play X-Men on the new PlayStation they got for Christmas. Aaron likes to play as Jean Grey, but Eric tells him to stop playing girl characters and pick a boy.

(Age Eleven)

The superintendent opens the fire hydrant for the kids to play in. Brendan takes his shirt off, and Aaron can’t stop looking at him. Brendan goes out of state to visit his family; while he’s gone, Aaron draws a picture of Brendan as a Pokémon master.

(Age Twelve)

Aaron learns about Shakespeare. He thinks he’d like to be an actor because it’s better than sports. He tells his father that, in Shakespeare’s day, the men used to play all the roles, even those of the women.