TWI-106 A Summer on Fire Island
A Summer on Fire Island
TWI-106
Guild Press
Alexander Goodman
$1.50
Excerpt
“Charles, darling!” Winnie, a baby-faced man of 40, calls to Charles as he pushes through the crowd. In the city Charles, a tall, well-built, masculineappearing man, is of necessity circumspect and discreet. In the city he would, at all cost, avoid running into someone as loud and obvious as Winnie. But once on this train, chugging toward the island, with one or two drinks under his belt, Charles feels he can relax, drop his stiff, straight pose, and welcome the shrill but amusing chatter of a queen like Jurrow.
“Did you hear the news, Charles? Marty Epinger was caught in a raid at the St. Mark’s baths on Tuesday. But surely you know Miss Epinger, don’t you, Charles? She’s Miss Frankenburg’s first cousin. Yes, that’s her, the one with a toupee. Isn’t it awful? Miss Frankenburg had to go down to the Tombs to bail her out. Afterwards, Miss Frankenburg was so upset she came over to my place to cry on my shoulder at 3 in the morning! And did she look a wreck! It was very inconvenient, I must say, as I was smack in the middle of entertaining a most attractive young sailor. But you know me, Charles, anything for a friend.”
A large percentage of the older Cherry Grovers habitually refer to their acquaintances in the third person feminine.
“Then on Thursday I saw poor Miss Penelope. She was so unhappy! She had just spent $20 on the most beautiful silk kimono for Miss Wellington’s Night in Tokyo soiree on Saturday. Then she discovers Miss Wellington absolutely refuses to let her step one foot into her house, claiming Miss P. has been lasciviously playing around with Miss W.’s new houseboy (you know, that scrumptious Italian number with the big schwantz, Mario, he’s called). Well, it’s true, of course. Miss P. has slept with the boy. She would be the first to admit it. But then, hasn’t everyone? Haven’t you, Charles? I have—twice, and he’s divine!!”
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