Harry Ford is facing a moral dilemma. In “My Best Man”, Andy Schell’s comic novel, Harry must choose between fulfilling the requirements of his father’s will and pursuing his dream lover. Harry has been openly gay to his wealthy Kansas family since he was seventeen years old, but his disdainful Dad reaches out from beyond the grave to pressure Harry into a heterosexual marriage. If Harry balks, he risks losing a multi-million dollar inheritance. Rather conveniently, Harry meets the outrageous Amity with her Tammy-Faye make-up, teased up blonde hair and exaggerated Texas drawl, works with Harry as a flight attendant. Their airplane is hardly off the tarmac in their first flight together before Amity has discovered Harry’s gayness. Amity, unbridled by bourgeois inhibitions, is generously accepting of Harry’s sexual orientation. Their friendship deepens to the extent that (to Harry’s ecstatic surprise!) he finds he can consummate sex with a woman. Wealth and luxury seem within their grasp as Harry and Amity become engaged.
Inconveniently, Harry meets a gorgeous Argentine waiter and realizes that this hunk is his soulmate. Concurrently, Harry is becoming suspicious and disillusioned with his fiancé; her cocaine addiction is out of control and she seems much too secretive about her past.
Some narrative problems prevent bringing Harry’s critical decision to dramatic clarity. First, as a flight attendant, why can’t he afford a car and a place to live? The only plausible explanation is the cost of the various drugs that Harry constantly snorts, inhales and ingests. Second, Harry has a grandmother who is not judgmental about his lifestyle who can (and does) bail him out of financial crises. Thirdly, why doesn’t Winston, Harry’s cunning, “straighter” snot of a brother, have an inside track to the inheritance? Moreover, Harry claims not to be a materialist, thus the reader cannot get overly caught up in his greedy pursuit. We do root for Harry in his quest for a happily-ever-after ending in the love department. Considerably less morally ambivalent than Harry is the object of his desire, Nicolo who stomps off in a fury when he accidentally finds out about Harry’s engagement. The suspense builds as Harry energetically tries to regain Nicolo's love and trust.
It should be noted that the author writes with some authenticity on the behind the scenes hi-jinx of airline employees; Andy Schell was an airline “stewardess” (his word) for fifteen years. Later he became a stand-up comedian and besides writing lines for himself he also contributed some to Joan Rivers. He also knows something about devotion; he and his “best man” celebrated a commitment ceremony in 1995.
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