Whores, Queers and Others E-Book

Philip Barrows

• Herausgeber: Olympia Press
• Kategorie: Sachliteratur, Reportagen, Biografien
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

Classic of gay literature, and a 10-year chronicle of life split between post-war Paris, Italy, and New York. This seminal title, helping to transition society from the days when Glory Hole meant a lucky mining strike, has been out of print for a while, perhaps because the modern gay community isn't able to come to grips with Barrows' "final" decision on his own sexuality. Still, as a work by a man who tried just about everything, beginning his narrative at the seminary of all places, it's a worthy effort for anyone interested in the subject or the period.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

WHORES, QUEERS AND OTHERS

Philip Barrows

Volume I

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

Volume II

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

WHORES, QUEERS AND OTHERS

Philip Barrows

This page copyright © 2004 Olympia Press.

“Our life is a book to which we add daily, until suddenly we are finished and the manuscript burned. In this diary we set out meaning to write one story and write another. To turn back to the beginning is only to wonder and to be sad, but to compare the second half of the volume as it is with what we vowed to make it, is to be lashed with nettles.”

—Sir James M. Barrie The Little Minister

To the memory of

John R. 1925-1951

Volume I

1

STRANGE, WHEN YOU'RE SURE YOU'RE about to die, the unimportant things in life you remember. There doesn't seem to be any meaningful pattern at all. Or maybe there isn't supposed to be a pattern. Or maybe we just can't stand off and look at it clearly and honestly.

The earliest clear memory I have is of my fourth birthday party with cake and ice cream and hot chocolate at lunch. I blew out all four candles with just one breath so I was sure of getting my wish, whatever it may have been.

There were just four of us: my mother, her mother, my older brother John and myself, but it was an exciting party with balloons and funny paper hats and those favors that look like fringed napkins rolled up. But the most exciting thing was when the radio announcer wished me a happy birthday and played my favorite song, Rain On the Roof. I was a little disappointed because some girl sang it instead of the man whose record I liked, but even so, it was wonderful to have the announcer tell the whole world about my birthday. I was having such a good time I didn't mind too much when John went back to kindergarten for the afternoon. My grandmother rocked me while my mother did the dishes, and then my mother took me to bed for my nap.

“You shouldn't mind too much when John has to go back to school every day. Sooner or later we all have to say good-bye to each other and go away for good. Like Granny. She loves us and would love to rock you forever, but she's very tired and sick so pretty soon she'll go back to her house and then she'll go to God's house and rock the little baby Jesus. Won't that be nice?”

“When's she coming back?”

“Well, don't breathe a word of this to her or John or anyone else—promise me?—but I don't think she'll be able to come back. We'll be able to visit her in our prayers every morning and every night, and sometime, maybe soon—you never know when—we'll go visit her in God's house and stay there with them forever. Won't that be nice?”

“Won't John have to go to school?”

“Not any more after we go there.”

“Won't Daddy have to go to the drug store?”

“Not after he goes to heaven.”

“When are we going?”

“You're a big boy now and you've got to be strong and brave. We never know for sure when God is going to invite us to his house; that's why we have to be good all the time. If you're not good, He won't invite you. He'll send you away to another place and you'll never see any of us again. That's why you've got to be a good boy all the time. God knows everything you say and do and even just think. Anyway, He'll invite us to his house one at a time. Maybe years and years apart, but you never have to feel lonely because we can always visit each other in our prayers and keep the memory of each other in our hearts.”