So it was the Monday night before the show and Kenny was waitering at Feathers. I was out with Kenny Casper. There was no buzz about us performing the next night, I have to admit Kenny and I kept it quiet. Drag was still the embarrassment to the gay community and here we were about to embark on something NO ONE was ready for! It started off as a typical Monday night. The bar was packed by 10 and every corner of the bar held its own soap opera drama.
I remember this one Monday night; I had two dates in one night. I had one upstairs and the other downstairs. They never met and never knew what was going on. I faked a head ache and went home with Mr. Moment.
Back to the night before the show, Kenny Casper and Sammy cornered Kenny Alton and I on what we were wearing. When we mentioned Rodger made the dresses they both laughed and offered to buy us tickets out of town. “Imagine wearing a homemade dress on Feathers stage!” Casper cackled. “Are you wearing wigs, or did he make the hair out of a mop.” Sammy chimed in. Kenny Alton and I allowed them to have their moment because they were going to have it whether we liked it or not.
Chris, Rodgers roommate, entered the bar and gave me an excuse to step away from the “Sammy and Casper Comedy Hour”. I greeted Chris with a new found excitement. He was friends with John and he was going to help me trap John, whether he knew it or not. I bought Chris a drink, on dollar night I was very generous with buying drinks. He laughed and talked and Chris asked me if I wanted to go home with him. As flattered as I was I explained that I was in love with someone else, but that if I wasn’t I’d go home with him. Chris understood and left with the guy behind me.
Gay rejections are so momentary and short lived. Casper told me how crazy I was and if I wanted to make John jealous I should have slept with his best friend. Casper had the most twisted logic and it worked – for him. But he had a point I had to open myself to dating and having a healthy sex life.
I started talking to this kind of cute guy. He was interesting and all of a sudden my conversation went into drag.”So, do you watch drag shows?” I asked him. “Drag shows? Not at all! Drag is what is making our lifestyle a joke.” All of a sudden what I was about to do was becoming a reality. I got so nervous.
Kenny Alton and I did our traditional shots and sat on his car hood and chatted after the bar closed. The summer night and the taste of liquor still linger in my sense memory. We both knew our lives would be different, but we both agreed Rodger was a nice friend and worth keeping. He was a support that we both were lacking in our lives, an older gay person to guide us with their experience.
“Besides, I am in LOVE with the fake nails. “ Alton giggled, “I bought wet and wild nail polish and fake lashes.” “Are we supposed to buy those things?” I was confused and Lord knows the education that was awaiting me!
Till tomorrow, be kind
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
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