The Gaslight Hotel

My Secret Life

I was born Donald Taylor. After I was born my uncle
added 'Cloyde.' That was my middle name. Although
I was Donald Cloyde Taylor, everyone called me by
the girl name 'Courtney.' My mother said I was called
that because I was so good looking in a girl's way as a
boy.

I left home in 1959 to work in Bern's drug store about
two blocks down the street from our trailer park, where
our trailer was parked in Row 7 Lot 9.

Following my dog's death, which I head about while
jerking sodas at the drug store ice cream counter, I
was deeply saddened-- so I went back to the store-
room in back and jerked off in a newspaper classified
section.

Mid-way diown page two of the classifieds I saw the
words 'WANTED-- call 544-7333' spelled out in ink
interspaced with my 'spendings,' which at the time
was beautifully colored a frosty white.

WANTED? for what?

I jotted down the phone number and threw the news-
paper away, that part that was the classified section,
stricky. I neded to find employment with more of a
future thn just jerking sodas. I would retain the other
jerking even if I found a girlfriend.

Wanted-- for what? And then I lost interest.

After I saved sufficient money to buy a ticket, I bought
a ticket and took a sail to France. Excited, I found my
way to the Montmartre Quarter of Paris, where I hung
out in working-class bistros. There, I finally was given
an opportunity to show the poetical talent I didn't know
I had.

Although poor by birth, I soon adopted the earthy lan-
guage of my haunts and turned it into poems that told
of the delights of the rich..I began performing at cafe-
poetry readings and developed a style that came from
my beautiful looks as a boy back in my home town.

In fact, several men wanted to take me home with them
and read poetry aloud while they made love, but I was
uncomfortable with that, so I courteously said no.

Then I signed a contract to appear at the Film Noir club.
I dressed in a pale pink shirt and tight linen tannish pants
which really showed off my ass and that long and thick
thing I played with back when I jerked sodas at the drug
store-- in the back storeroom.
**
I might mention here why what I did was called soda jerk-
ing-- a soda jerk fills a top-heavy, etched flowerly glass
with vanilla ice cream, Then the soda jerk takesit over to
and under the carbonated faucet. He or she 'jerks"the
handle down. Fluid fills around the ice cream making that
fizzy sound that is the mark of an ice cream soda.
**
I also wore high boots with bright yellow buckles, a black
velvet jacket and a long red scarf, I used the stage name
Tide Huranunti, and I soon became the star of the Mont-
martre district--

and when a lady called only 'Veronique'started coming
around to see my show I fell in love.

Then she moved to Canada, but she remained my best
friend-- the best I ever had.

(End part one)
##
dt