Ouf. This and hoosierbitch's heartbreaking Super Awesome Magical Light-Up Fairy Shoes (http://hoosierbitch.livejournal.com/90642.html) just popped up right next to each other on my flist. I love that there really are people like your Cathy and Joe, and her Peter and El, in the world. But these stories also remind us of the prejudice that existed, that still exists. Times like this, I just have to focus on how far we've come, not how far we still have to go.