"My Life, and Times" ...How I came out.

When I was a kid in high school, just 16 I went to the "Village" This because I had been warned there were "perverts" there.
It seemed the place to be.
I remember seeing the actual "Stonewall Inn". I couldn't go in because you had to be 21.
I looked in the window, and except for a Transvestite, the 'first' I ever saw. It seemed like any other bar. Yeah I'd been in bars.

*My dear Uncle Louie took me to have a look.
Part of my "Education" into the real world.

Anyway how could I know that three, and a half years later it would be a "Queer Ground Zero".
So unlike the Zillions that claim to have been there I actually was. Just a bit early is all.

*Stop me if you've heard this one.
It was my good ol' Uncle Louie who was really my Mom's uncle, but ya know. It was Uncle to whom I first came out to as Queer Artist Maniac. Like in any Coming Out moment it was full of weirdness static, and terror.
Remember this was 1966. The last Civil War vets just kicked the bucket...so it was a while ago, and being gay wasn't cute.

Uncle was the only one that had always been honest with me about the world. I was always able to confide in him. Mind you he was one tough guy.
He literally ran away with a rural circus as a kid. He did what a generation of early 20th century boys dreamed of doing. ...came back alive too.

He went to sea traveled the world. 'Was in the Merchant Marine Navy during WW2 survived, and came home to work in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Which was his profession when I went to his house with my Great Secret. I remember sitting down with him in his kitchen. He lit up a Chesterfield, and asked me what was wrong.

He could see that I was freaked so he was very concerned. I remember he said "...there's nothing you can tell me that I haven't seen or done myself"...wadda guy. He reassured me it'd be okay just tell him what happened.

Well I did.

He hit the roof!
He bleeping did, but not for the reasons you think.
He said to my confession of innocent dreams of queer passion. Bright passions till them *radioactive cows came home.

He said...

"IS THAT ALL!!"

He went on Uncle did...
"You tell me you're a Sissy?!"

"I know that, we 'All' know that.
We knew when you was a little boy! I thought this was about something important. I thought you got someone pregnant!"

No bleeping lie this is how it happened.
My gawd what a family. Good thing I didn't tell him I thought I could fly. That's one thing he might not have "seen or done".

This is basically how it went down.
He said he met plenty of guys like that. It was just how some guys turned out. I shouldn't worry. Just, and here he was serious...don't tell folks outside the family. He warned it's a dangerous life...and he was right then as now.
I really loved uncle.
He looked out for me more I noticed after that.

Anyway the whole damned family knew the whole time.
So much for my great, and grand secret. I mean being caught trying on Moms stuff when I was 11 didn't help.
So a secret. Like the one Liberace thought he hid so well.

I should write a damned book.

*( About them "radioactive cows". It was only in the mid-1960's that they finally stopped testing them "H-Fucking-Bombs" out west. ...in the open air fer craps sakes!
Bleeping morons.
Me, and my generation have "Strontium 90" in our bones behind that madness. '...them cows didn't do too good either.)

Anyway that's my Gay Pride 50th Anniversary story.
...such as it is.