Wedded Bliss

Our long time friends Stuart and John were married in Seattle Washington last week. I wrote them this congratulatory e-mail.

Stuart & John (Mr. & Mr. W/B or is it B/W?)

How wonderful. Two old men in love, finally able to say they are married! We are only a little jealous as we celebrate your joy. Who would have thought that in our life time we would see this. ]

I vividly still remember the early days when one would walk down a dark alley off Wells in Old Town, knock on a door which was not signed, and enter Mob run "Bob's Bistro A-Go-Go." A dark dingy room greeted you, with a long plywood bar along one wall, a lit up juke box in the corner, and hundreds of gay men and women on the dance floor enjoying the evening while also looking over their shoulder at the same door they entered in case the police raided the bar. 

The unspoken word was that if "RAID" was announced, each gay boy would grab a dike, or vice versa depending on proximity, and continue dancing. Men and women couples couldn't be arrested. If arrested, your name was published in the Tribune, you were outed to family and friends, you lost your job, for some their wives found out ... then charges were dropped if they didn't find drugs or if you weren't underage ... but your life was pretty much a mess just for being Gay.

We love you boys,

Michael and Gregory