Droplets from the Inkwell

Writing Quickie: First Gay Bar Experience

Today's Writing Quickie was actually inspired by and contains part of a Twitter Scribble:

I walked down the street toward the bar. The building itself was pretty nondescript, red brick with merely a neon sign over the double doors to proclaim that this was indeed The Lavender Flamingo Room. A large white man with a shaved head and goatee stood outside, wearing a black shirt with the word “Security” emblazoned across the front. As I approached, he addressed me. “Got ID?” I handed him my driver’s license. He studied it for a few seconds, glanced at my face and then back to the ID, and finally handed it to me. “Go on in.”

I walked in and was immediately overwhelmed. Men were everywhere. Men in suits. Fraternity brothers in letters. Glitter-covered flamers. Men wearing leather. Men holding hands and even kissing. I could catch glimpses of men in little more than thong underwear gyrating on some sort of platform at the other end of the huge room. I stepped next to a support column and waited for my eyes to adjust to the dim light and for my ears to get used to the music bellowing from the numerous speakers.

After a minute or two, I walked toward the bar that was off to one side. As I approached, a twinky bartender with red hair smiled. “Hey, I haven’t seen you around before. You new?”

“Yeah, I heard about this place the other day and thought I’d check it out,” I replied, somewhat nervously.

“Welcome to the Flamingo, then. I’m Shane. What can I get you to drink? First one’s on me.”

JarredH

Our tears remind us that we're human. Our laughter reminds us why.