Summer Of Sixty Nine

Chapter 8. Lets Have a Good Night

The day couldn't get any slower. I was thinking about calling my sister all day but coward that I am, couldn't gain courage to go to the payphone just down the street. I definitely need to write her letters though. The day was uneventful, no one had work except Tayse, since it was a Saturday. The day began to fade and the pinks, purples, and oranges in the sky showed. This meant only one thing. It was time to go to Stonewall. The first time I was there I don't think I took everything in. But this time I was going to be a sponge, soak it all in. Myself, Gio, and Kai were outside of the club around 11:00 pm when we heard the voice of someone familiar. "The queen... has arrived."  Tayse appears from the shadows and under the spotlight of the street light. The three of us erupted into cheers and whistles. "You turned that look out." Kai spoke with the most energy that I had ever seen from him. Tayse did a little twirl. "Are we going in or what?" Annie asked ready for what the night's events held.  "Now we are here but getting in is a little trickier." Gio said a little mysteriously. I was confused. When I was here with Marsha I just walked in. Gio walked over to the door of the bar and knocked. A window was opened followed by a face I recognized. It was the same man that had let Marsha and I in a few days prior. "Gio, you know I can't let you in." The man spoke in annoyance. "Come on, you know you love me. We won't cause no trouble." The window in the door shut abruptly and Gio sighed loudly. The boy went back over to the door and started knocking once more. The window opened and the man appeared once again. "Come on man... you don't want to keep the queen waiting." Gio gestured to Tayse who then did a little pose. The man sighed and closed the window. Gio squealed like a little girl. The door slowly opened and the man stood where we would get in. "Thank you." I spoke grateful for the man letting us in. "You are welcome. Don't do anything stupid." I smile and walk in. "You have to sign in." I nodded at Gio's comment. I picked up the pen and remembered what Marsha told me just the other day, 'don't put your real name... this place is runned by the mob.' I put down the fake name that I had made my own James Smith. Gio looked over my shoulder and nodded in approval. One by one everyone signed in and then we made our way to the front of the bar.

I have never been one of those people who drink, but after everything that had been happening recently, I needed one. I tell Gio that I am going to the bar and walk away from my group. Someone familiar catches my eye as I see my way to the bar. 'Is that?' I thought to myself. 'Yes... it is.' I see a tall latin woman with brown curly hair, longer than Marsha's. I walk closer to the tall being and ask, "Sylvia?" She looks down at me and smiles. "Danny!" She wrapped her long arms around men and pulled me into a much needed hug. "What happened to you?" She asks with a concerned and motherly tone. "Cops," I replied like it was nothing but in reality I was in so much pain. "Those pigs." She fiercely said. "Are you okay?" She asked in the same motherly tone that she embodied. I nodded a bit. She smiled at me and pulled me into her embrace once more. The feeling of comfort came back into my body. Sylvia had the warmest hugs ever. Full of passion and love. She broke the hug and smiled at me. "I'm going to get a drink." I told her, starting to walk away. "Here, you don't want any of those mixed drinks, they have no running water." She handed me a beer and I took in gladly. Also taking a mental note of the water and dirty cups. "Straight from the bottle." She said once more. I nodded and smiled at her. "Thank you." I spoke gratefully. She smiled and walked away from me to the dance floor.

I stood there for a second before going to find my friends. Friends, that is a weird word to say. Even in school I was an outcast. Nobody knew I was gay but I was always too feminine for everyone. Now here I am the most masculine in the group. That is weird to think about. These people make me feel... they make me feel okay, and dare I say... safe. I decided that when I left home I would never have that safety net that the feeling of home supplies but, these people make me feel at home, they make me feel safe.

I find Gio badly dancing on the dance floor along with Annie and Tayse. Kai was sitting at a table just a few feet away. I made my way over to him not wanting to interrupt their horrible dancing. I pulled out a chair and cautiously sat down. "Mind if I sit?" I questioned the silent boy. "Well you are already sitting, so no, I don't mind." He replied back and I giggled a little bit at his remark. "How come you aren't dancing?" I ask knowing the answer. "I don't want to look like them." He pointed to the hilarious buffoons on the dance floor. I laugh at his comment. "Why are you not dancing?" He asked me. "Don't know. I guess I'm scared too." He nodded in agreement. Kai was an amazing kid. He was only a year younger than me and he was going to school in midtown. He, unlike the rest of us, has an okay relationship with his parents. His parents don't know that he is gay, which helps. But that is really all I know about him. He doesn't talk much and when he does it is brief.

Just when I was about to speak again I hear Gio's voice shout my name. I sigh and drag myself to the dance floor. "Danny!" Gio was very much tipsy and slurred his words. "Come dance with me!" He sounded like a little girl on her fifth birthday. I reluctantly moved my feet, my hips, my arms, and now I was dancing. I literally was talking about how I didn't want to dance and here I am... dancing. Even though today was questionable, tonight's vibe was electric. The music boomed through everyone's souls. Nobody had a care in the world. For the first time in a long time, I felt included. I felt okay, and at peace.

The lights turned on and the vibe was killed. "EVERYONE AGAINST THE WALLS!" Great. This is great. More cops.

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