Like many other bartenders with 17 years of experience, Kara Coley is used to giving advice beyond which drinks to try.
But Coley never had a question like the one she received Friday while working at Sipps, a gay-friendly bar in Gulfport, Mississippi.
Out of the blue, Coley got a call from a mother whose son had just told her he’s gay and she needed some help.
“My son just came out to me and I don’t want to say anything that may mess him up in the head,” the woman confided.
Coley was surprised by the apparent randomness of the call, since the woman didn’t sound like a local.
“She had a Northern accent,” the bartender told HuffPost. “I have had a few people that I grew up with ask advice when they found out their child or child’s friend was gay, but never as random as this phone call.”
Still, Coley was glad to help a stranger who wanted to do the right thing for her son.
“I wish more people were eager to just ask questions,” she said. “That is how you learn!”
Coley wrote up the whole exchange in a Facebook post, and the key takeaway was this bit of wisdom she gave to the mom.
“You should definitely let him know that you love and accept him,” Coley told the mother. “I think everything will be OK from there!”
Coley is pleased by the reaction to her post, but admits being surprised as well.
“I’m shocked and excited,” she said to HuffPost. “Although I still don’t get it because I was just being honest and compassionate.”
Coley’s post can be seen below:
Coley doesn’t know if she’ll ever meet the mother or the son, but knows what would happen if they showed up at Sipps.
“I would hug their necks!” she said.
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