As some of my new readers, or some of my regulars who may never heard this story are in for it. I really should post some of my antics from back in my very young gayling days in Harrisburg. We were quite the large group of friends. There was our core group of close friends, and then the extended friends that each of us had. So when there was a party, it was generally a rip roar of a good time. Just picture the party scene in Holly Golightly's apartment, and you'll catch my drift. They were quite something. Now May 1st not only signals the real beginning of May and spring, but also has other meaning and memory for me. You see when I and the rest of the group came out, we had a den mother of sorts. She sort of took us under her wing and eventually became the matriarch of us gay boys. She was a divorced lady, older, with two gay kids of her own. Since we all loved the movie Auntie Mame, we officially named her Mother Burnside.. our premiere Faghag Mother! And the WHOLE TOWN knew who she was. Her and I were of particular trouble. We were out Thursday night for karaoke, Friday and Saturdays for club nights, Sundays for drag shows, Mondays for after work drinks and then took off Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Her palce was where I would always get ready in drag. Ahhhh the memories. Unfortunately, I'm sad to say we lost Mother Burnside back in January to the shock of everyone. Well, one year, the group decided to make the First of May party. Of course Mother Burnside had a little ditty from years ago she had heard. Knowing we couldn't pack hundreds of people in for the party, we decided the whole town should enjoy the day of May anyway. So she and I came up with this little flyer..........
Hooray! Hooray!
It's the First of May,
Outdoor Screwing Begins Today!
After mass producing several hundred copies, we went out one Thursday evening after our cock-a-tails and we stuck one on literally every car windshield we came in contact with. They were the talk of town!!!!! We played dumb and never did own up to it till years later. A good friend of mine got one before I knew him, and just recently he brought that up, and I almost fell off my chair...after all these years, so I told him all about it. He replied "Why am I NOT surprised you had something to do with that." N
Ahhhhhhhh, Good Times! I have more fascinating tales than that too, just you wait!
This one is for you Mother Burnside
That's what I call a perfect May Day celebration!
ReplyDeleteA delightful story - - and it doesn't surprise me at all....
The world should definitely have more Mother Burnsides.
Probably good we didn't know each other right?
DeleteThe stories I bet you could tell and please do!
ReplyDeleteWell. get the bar set up.........grab a chair handsome!
DeleteShe sounds like a legend in her own right! RIP Mother Burnside.
ReplyDeleteWhen she passed, she said she wanted her ashes put in a beer bottle, and sat on the top bar shelf, so she could oversee the goings on in the bar of all the gay boys.
DeleteHaving been out with you on my last visit when we met, you were a handful out...I can only imagine the antics then!!! Great story. I have to relay that tonight
ReplyDeleteBRWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! That is great! The only way this could have been better is if you were on that flyer! Happy May Day!
ReplyDeleteI would have LOVED to seen the peoples faces when they got that on their windshield!!!!!! Hell, I'd framed it.
ReplyDeleteAh, the May Pole!
ReplyDeleteHere's to the memory of a great gal, Mother Burnside.
ReplyDeleteShe would have ADORED your blog....trust me!
DeleteHoly crap, he's going to bruise his knees with that thing.
ReplyDeleteRIP Mother Burnside.
Or uproot a great Red Wood!
DeleteI'll raise a large one (!) to Mother Burnside. Cheers! Jx
ReplyDeleteOne can always count on you dear
Delete💋💋💋
Good heavens, Mistress, what a prankster you were! Did Mother Burnside have more than two children? Darwinian theory implies women who have gay children should have above average fertility, but maybe she practised birth control.
ReplyDeleteNope she only had two, to my knowledge. Unless we were all her children, unbeknownst to us!
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ReplyDeleteJFC, I just rolled outta bed and I am (HELL-O) hit in the face by a large mantool. who needs cawfee after THAT?!?
ReplyDeleteNow you know how my mornings go.
DeleteIt's a miracle you haven't got a criminal record.
ReplyDeleteJP
Hey JP, I have NEVER broken any laws. But I may have cracked a few.
DeleteI trust you have given up smoking since that picture was taken?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately... I have only picked up new ones.
DeleteLOVE IT!!! Had I been around, I would've been right in the middle of all of that. Hugs!!
ReplyDeleteOr under it, as the case may be.
DeleteI do believe that picture would have been a keep for , huh, research issues. What a great story.
ReplyDeleteI know that would have gotten my attention for sure! I think I can see why you and Bunny get along.
ReplyDeleteShe sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeleteMY WORD!!!!! What a way to ring in MAY! I almost dropped my coffee!!!! As funny as the story is, it's a touching ode. You are quite a jokester.
ReplyDeleteWhat a story and a tribute. I can only imagine the faces. And yes more stories.
ReplyDeleteMY!!!!!! Great story, but sure don't remember seeing a may pole like that before.
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