Go-To-Gay: "Fairy Tales Can Come True, It Can Happen to You … "

Introduction by Tracey Meyers

Despite the fact that I do enjoy chick flicks and Disney movies, in my day-to-day life, I'm a person who isn't big on fairy tales.  Sure, I have hopes and dreams that drive me towards my goals, however I find I have a tendency to keep myself "grounded in reality." (Or at least that is what I call it.)

Okay, so maybe this all sounds a bit "Negative Nancy" of me, but that is one of the reasons I keep those that do believe that "fairy tales can come true" in my life.  One of those "believers" is CLC's own Go-To-Gay, Wade Rouse, who is here today to tell you why he feels fairy tales can come true... and why they can happen to you!

"Fairy Tales Can Come True, It Can Happen to You . . . "

Admission: I've never been to Disney.

DisneyLand. Disney World. Any Disney.

Admission: I've never actually wanted to go.

I grew up going to theme and amusement parks: Silver Dollar City, Six Flags, Dogpatch USA.

But I was one of those strange kids who didn't relish roller coasters or enjoy having my picture taken with costumed characters.

Still, I tried it all again as an adult, just to make sure, largely because my partner, Gary, loves theme parks, adores roller coasters, dreams of dancing with Cinderella.

Perhaps, I thought, I am simply scarred from the time I got sick on a spinning teacup ride and had to watch my breakfast circle in the air in front of my face.
So off we went.

But I liked it even less as adult. I still didn't enjoy the rides or the characters. And I hated waiting in the long lines and being jostled for a funnel cake even more.

"I'm so sorry," I told Gary. "It's just not my thing."
Gary looked crestfallen.

A few days later, as our weekly "Friday date night" approached, I had a revelation: While theme parks may not be my thing, fairy tales and happy endings are.
Growing up, I never believed I would meet the man of my dreams.

I never dreamed I would be an author.

I never believed a happy-ever-after was possible.

So, I ordered a pizza, sat Gary on the couch and popped in "Snow White."

When she began to sing "Someday My Prince Will Come", I smiled and reached for Gary's hand.

"Does this mean you might want to try a theme park again?" he asked hopefully.

"No way," I replied, before adding, "But I will watch 'Cinderella' next."

He laughed, and then, just as quickly, began to tear up.
"I never thought …" he started.

"Me either," I said, squeezing his hand even more tightly.

Which is why we all must believe – whether we're three, 13, 35, or 98 – in the power of fairly tales, because the everlasting power of them is that they can come true.

And you don't even have to visit a theme park to make it so. 


The writings of bestselling humorist Wade Rouse – called “wise, witty and wicked” by USA Today and the lovechild of Erma Bombeck and David Sedaris – have been featured multiple times on NBC’s Today Show as well as on Chelsea Lately on E! and People.com. His latest memoir, It’s All Relative: Two Families, Three Dogs, 34 Holidays and 50 Boxes of Wine (reviewed here) launched in paperback February 1st from Broadway, and he is creator and editor of the humorous dog anthology, I’m Not the Biggest Bitch in This Relationship: Hilarious, Heartwarming Tales about Man’s Best from America’s Favorite Humorists (NAL). The book features a Foreword by Chelsea Handler’s dog, Chunk, essays by such beloved chick lit authors as Jane Green, and 50 percent of the book’s net royalties go to the Humane Society of the United States. His first memoir, America's Boy, has been re-published by Magnus Books for paperback and Kindle. For more, visit his website, or friend him on Facebook or Twitter.