Summer Of Sixty Nine

Chapter 10. The End of a Horrible Era

The night went on with some of the most brutal beatings I have witnessed. It is almost six in the morning and I am honestly surprised no one died or had any critical injuries. The cops rounded up everyone they had too and left. I was sitting on the curb of the road next to Gio. I was in a lot of pain. Not only from being roughed up tonight, but also being on death's door the previous night. I look over to my overly tired friends to the left of me and speak, "What do we do now?" I ask, wondering what comes next. "We continue to fight. We protest. We do whatever we need to do to get freedom for us." Gio spoke wisely as the rest of us nodded. "I think Stonewall is opening back up tonight, but I am pretty sure it is just for protest reasons." Annie spoke very drained. You could see it in our eyes how tired we all were. "All of Christopher Street will be there." Tayse spoke more enthusiastically than the rest of us. "Then we will go. Show up in support. Anything to end this." I tried to convince myself that this was a good idea when I spoke. The rest of them nodded in agreement. "I will see you guys later. I have stuff to do." I got up from the curb and walked down the street for a few blocks. I really didn't have anywhere to be but I really needed to clear my head. Clear my head from everything that happened in only a few days. The sheer chaos that this week has been is crazy. My sister has been on my mind a lot as well. So this time I am actually going to do something about it. I find my way to the closest pay phone and step in the three walled box. I pull out some change from my pocket and insert it into the coin slot. Once the money is in, I dial the number and wait as it rings. "Hello?" I hear a small steady voice on the other end of the line... my sister. "Who is this?" She asks more confidently. "Rose, it's Danny." After I answer I hear a small squeal on the other end of the line. "Danny! I miss you so much." She practically screamed into the phone. My little sister has always meant so much to me. She is five years younger than me but we are best friends. She is basically a mini me. She is my everything.
We talk for a while before she has to go. It was so amazing to hear her voice again. Her sweet voice that has helped me through heartbreak. She is the best sister a guy could ask for.

I walk away from the payphone feeling accomplished. But reality comes quickly back to my conscience. This is not over, this drive, this fight, it is not over. I want the next generation and generations to come, to never have to go through this hurt and pain. 'We have to fight.' I think to myself. We will continue to fight until those pigs give in. It will be hard but this is something I will not give up on.

--------------------

That night at around eleven the Stonewall opened once more. No alcohol was served but that didn't matter. The people who showed up did not come for booze, they came for the end or a horrible era. Once again there was a raid. Gio wanted to do the same thing that we did the previous night but if we did someone would have gotten killed. We stood our ground and didn't give up. We kept showing up every night for the next week, until we got somewhere. The Village Voice's said some nasty things about what we were doing and some people wanted to burn down the post office. I was not there but Annie was and she said it was buck wild. We will continue to do this until we are heard.

June 28, 1970

It has been one year since the rebellion. I am going to NYU and getting my medical degree, and Gio and I are living together in Manhattan. Gio, Annie, Tayse, and I are gathered with a big crowd on Christopher Street ready to kick off the march. Marsha and Sylvia are in the front of the crowd leading with my friends and I trailing right behind. The chants of 'Gay Power' can be heard from blocks away. More people gather in our march as we head up 6th avenue towards Central Park. Something catches my eye as we are only a block away from central park. Someone familiar. It couldn't be. Is that? My mom and sister? No it can't be. I walk closer to the recognizable people. Sure enough, it is. "What are you guys doing here?!" I ask with tears welling in my eyes. "To support you!" My sister runs into my arms and I wrap her in my embrace. "I'm happy that you wrote." My mom spoke up. I noticed tears streaming down her face. "Mom." I walked over to her and gave her a giant hug. "I'm sorry to break up this amazing family reunion but we are leaving." Gio came over and spoke. "Ok, I love you guys so much. I will see you soon." I break the embrace and walk back hand and hand with my boyfriend, to the rest of our friends. I know it's crazy, Gio and I are dating now. Fifteen blocks. Fifteen blocks we walked in support. We will continue to walk and march until we won't anymore. Even when we won't have to, we will continue to march to remember this day. This day needs to be remembered forever. All the fight and suffering we are going through so generations to come won't have to go through this. So as we are chanting 'Gay power' and standing up for ourselves a sense of safety rushes over me. Something I haven't felt and refused to feel in a long time. This feeling feels amazing. I feel happy and content with the amazing people and things I have acquired over the past year. I have amazing friends and an amazing boyfriend. What more could I ask for?

THE END

If you made it this far I thank you so much. I know this is not my usual content but I promise that I will get back to writing my other story now. Thank you for all the support. 💜💜- Blu