have I ever been molested by word of mouth, as that author would have us believe is common occurrence.

It can only be assumed that the author must have given some very good reasons for those drawn conclusions on the part of others.

Too, I disagree with the author wherein he recommends that the customer have nothing to do with either bartender or customer until such time as they have been investigated and proved satisfactory company.

Would this same writer then recommend that casual acquaintances met on the street, in a museum, a theatre or in the home of another, be so investigated as well? He most certainly should.

Again, my personal experiences belie his statements that people (and in particular, bartenders and bar customers) cannot be trusted. There are those that can and there are those that cannot. This is, or should be, a foregone conclusion, and each individual should be judged on his own

merits.

But this is aside my main point. Why do we pin so much importance on gay bars? Do we not have outside interests, friends, involvements? Is it so necessary that we leave the impression that we all but take resiup dence in a local bar-whether gay or straight?

While I cannot deny I would earn my 'glasses' based on my bar hours, I have never found it necessary to rely on them to such an extent. I have a letter on my desk from a very dear friend in a large northern city bemoaning the fact that he has no close friends, save one. His trouble isn't that he cannot make friends. It is that he finds it so necessary to spend his free time in a local bar. In such a case, can otherwise be expected?

There is no law that says we cannot have company in our home or apartment. And unless we have a reputation for having drunken brawls

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there should be no fear of company in your home.

While I resided in one city for somewhat over two years, it was my distinct pleasure to make a great number of friends, some of whom I have not seen in over ten years but with whom I correspond regularly. These people were not met in bars, but as guests in either my home or the home of another friend.

It was the habit of our local "group" to always go out on the weekend for dinner. From there to one of the two local bars (which both still exist in all their glory), have a couple of drinks, and then repair to the home of one or another of us. Never once was there a raid or trouble of any kind.

The fact was that we were all friends and friends we have remained. While the bars were at our disposal, we used them as we would the theatre only when we felt so inclined. It wasn't necessary to become so intimate with the bartender that he wanted to marry us, or the customers to a point where they either wanted to put the make on us or turn us in, or some such.

This was not true in that city alone. It has happened in other cities, both in the east and west. It is happening in the city in which I presently reside.

If we as homosexuals are going to raise our voices, either individually or collectively, for fairness towards ourselves, why don't we begin to look at life and the world-a bit more fairly.

Burlesque theatres cater not only to men, but to women. The point here is that nothing is so exclusive that it cannot be enjoyed by more than one type person.

The gay bars have their share of "tourists" who come to watch the carryings on of the queens (and low women they sometimes are!) while the straight bars have their share of

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