Leaving Metropolis

David, a celebrated artist feeling creatively blocked, takes a job as a waiter at the Main St. Diner to change his routine. The change of pace invites new observations of ordinary life. He quickly forms a bond with the diner's staff and is hired on the spot.

Shannon, a pre-op trans woman with HIV-positive status, drifts into the diner looking for purpose. His health condition and delayed surgery cast a shadow over his optimism. The encounter broadens David's social circle and sets the tone for their friendship.

Kryla, a blunt columnist for the Winnipeg Tribune, tracks David down at the diner and writes a feature about him. The article brings unexpected attention to the restaurant and to David’s growing fame. The publicity complicates life at the diner and for David personally.

As the spotlight intensifies, Shannon's illness worsens, casting a darker mood over the optimism surrounding the diner. His fragility influences how the others view their own choices. The looming health crisis adds pressure to the relationships developing around them.

David and Matt, the diner's owner, develop a cautious, intimate connection. They share moments of vulnerability, drawn by shared longing for something beyond their ordinary lives. The relationship deepens despite the risk of discovery.

Matt confesses that he once fell in love with another man, complicating the evolving bond. He encourages David to share his paintings, but David remains hesitant and protective of the boundary between art and life. Their tension foreshadows the conflict ahead.

David begins painting Matt, first as a nude study and then a series of portraits. Kryla and Shannon praise these works as David's strongest yet, validating his artistic breakthrough. The portraits intensify the romance and the risk of exposure.

The two men confess their love for each other but agree to secrecy, fearing Violet's reaction and the boundaries of their relationship. They justify the choice as a compromise between truth and loyalty to the diner's fragile balance. The tension between honesty and concealment grows.

Kryla uncovers the lovers in an intimate moment, prompting Matt to panic and insist that his confession of love was a lie. He flees, leaving the others to cope with the fallout. The revelation triggers a series of consequences for everyone involved.

Despite the secrecy, David decides to mount an exhibition of the newly created portraits, titling the collection Straightman. The act challenges social taboos and forces the characters to confront their truths publicly. The decision marks a turning point in the storm of lies.

When Matt learns of the show, he confronts David with anger, first threatening to destroy the paintings and then attempting to rekindle their physical relationship. David rebuffs him, setting a firm boundary. The confrontation crystallizes how far their relationship has drifted.

Matt confesses to Violet that he is in love with David, prompting Violet to demand a divorce. The revelation fractures the trio further and intensifies the stakes around the diner’s future. Violet's decision signals a permanent break from Matt's past life.

Shannon's illness drives him to take his own life, a tragedy that erupts in a bar where David and Kryla clash over competing versions of truth. The confrontation leaves both sides emotionally raw. The event marks a dark pivot for the story's tone.

Opening night of the exhibition sees Violet in attendance, acknowledging the paintings' quality but refusing to forgive Matt. The performances challenge the characters to face the consequences of their choices. The night leaves the lovers exposed and the future uncertain.

Matt reappears to David after the show, but David remains distant. He reconciles with Kryla, repairing their friendship and beginning a cautiously hopeful path forward. The diner changes hands as Violet sells the place, and Matt leaves town to escape the fallout.