The Lie Of The Interview: Sexuality and the New Congress.

Sitting in front of me are two members of the New
Congress: Leading Delegate Burkhardt and Senior
Delegate Drew Eves-Lethbridge. While they are
only two of the five members, they are speaking for
the group. | am supposed to be interviewing them
about the lie of sexuality - something they seemed
eager to discuss in preliminary discussions. | am

settling, the time before the interview begins, the
way the air is full of expectant wanting. Of some-
thing tasteful and clean. The first couple lines are
clear. | begin:

some: Is the New Congress a lie?

n.c. No. The New Congress does not lie.

all

supposed to be a cool collected interviewer, but
their calm demeanor and refined movements (not
to mention that | was late for the scheduled meet-
ing) has left me a little flustered. | have checked
and double checked the tape recorder and | am
recording over Mozart for their words. This seems
fitting: their thoughts in place of something old and
staunch. And while we banter, | set up the inter-
view, and dive headlong into the New Congress; |
want to pick their brains on their view sexuality,
their take on Beauty, the lie of Some, discuss such
varied topics as Fisting and Drag. | settle down
and set up the gray Sony tape player to capture
both their voices. And begin.

The interview goes well, and after a solid half-an-
hour or more of deep discussions rather than yes
or no answers to bland questions, they leave to
their classes and other commitments. | sit to tran-
scribe the interview. | want to capture the truths of
their moments and thoughts quickly, while it is
fresh. The tape player is rewound and set up.
Turned on, there is a tinny echo, as if we are being
exposed to a secret room inside the New
Congress' world - it would be tasteful and slick
world. Sexy. Everything but the ugly cocks and
cunts of the act. This is the New Congress, | think
to myself. This is a good metaphor to return to. |
hear the rough sound of the speakers clicking and

"T

some: What is the biggest lie you have ever told?

| pause the tape, the static is getting stronger, and
there is a whir and whine of a sharp pitched hateful
sound. | pray it will go away, and though it gets
louder, it fades away soon:

n.c. Like | said, we do not lie.
some: And what is the best lie in the world?

n.c. (Pause) The lie of equality. (There is a note of a
serious sadness in Burkhardts soft voice.)

The high-pitched sound returns, though this time
too loud and drowns out the rest of the answer.
This time, however it does not go away. | cannot
hear either my voice or the eloquent words of the

refined men sitting in front of me. From memory, |
know we have moved on to the topic of sexuality,
the crux of the interview, and yet | cannot hear a
word recorded. Occasionally a word reaches out
of the sound - "world" or "define" or "lie" or
"should" but none in context. They arch up like fish,
scales of monsters, behemoths hiding treasure
flashing in a quick blink of light against the dark-
ness. Soon the sound begins to wane and curve
down, and Ifloat - ready for their words. But what
comes is not the sound of the New Congress and
their thoughts. What comes from the sound war is
a string instrument, a cello, | think, and then more.
And then a melody, and then an orchestra. And
then Mozart. And | sit there, staring at a little gray
box that was supposed to capture and define a

re |
moment in the lives of the New Congress, and all |
have is Mozart. Slowly climbing, but strongly

climbing out of the tape player, oblivious of the
interview. Oblivious of my task. Only dancing and

spinning music, clean and Germanic, doing what it
does best, hiding the things below the surface. (}

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