JAMES & KEAGAN
“It was our sense of humour that brought us together, almost instantly, 20 years ago,” says James, reflecting on meeting Keagan in a gay bar in Vancouver in 2003. “We were otherwise complete opposites.”
“But the fun banter between us ignited an immediate connection. We exchanged phone numbers and have been together ever since.”
“It’s respectful. And loving,” adds Keagan when he sums up their 20 years together.
“We get each other,” they agree. “And we take good care of each other.”
James, a master teacher, and Keagan, highly accomplished in his art form, have been taking turns with the at-home chores and their professional work from the get-go. When James was still teaching full-time, Keagan took on all the housework, cooking, shopping and cleaning for 10 years.
Now that he’s retired, James says he has “three more years” to even the odds of having taken on the house management, so Keagan can devote equal time to his studio work.
Life wasn’t always fun or easy for either of them, though. “We both had similarly horrific upbringings, and that led us to a deep understanding of each other,” says James.
On top of that, prior to their 2003 meeting, each had just spent 10 years putting their respective lives back together after the tragic losses of their previous long-term partners: one to AIDS and the other to a serious accident.
The couple, who combine travel with their love of exploring ancient historical sites and living in warm winter climates, are usually away from the city for five months of the year.
“We are a great combo when we travel,” says James. “I organize everything to make the trip happen: transportation, accommodation, and all the necessary trip details. Keagan then fills in the blanks with his photographic memory and far-reaching knowledge about our destinations. I have general history and he knows the detail.”
“We’ve seen every Mayan site in the Yucatan, for example,” explains James.
Both are also serious foodies and love to cook. “We take turns, or we cook together,” they say.
But above everything, it’s been good for them to find each other.
“We are rock solid,” says James, as he signs off to enjoy breakfast with Keagan.
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