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Z... WHY DO SO MANY GAYS HAVE DRINKING PROBLEMS? TOTIE....I FEEL THEY CAN'T FACE UP TO REALITY, THEY CAN'T ACCEPT BEING GAY OR THEY CAN'T FIND A LOVER OR THE HAPPINESS THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR. THEREFORE IT CREATES LONLINESS.

Z........DO YOU THINK SOME PEOPLE DRINK JUST. FOR THE SAKE OF DRINKING, THE TASTE, OR MAYBE TO FORGET ONE'S PROBLEMS?

TOTIE....AS YOU KNOW, I LOVE TO DRINK. I JUST WISH I COULD DRINK MORE AND NOT GET SO RIPPED. THERE ARE THOSE WHO DRINK NO MATTER WHAT THE REASON.

Z........HOW DO YOU HANDLE A PERSON WHO HAS TOO MUCH TO DRINK? TOTIE....I TRY TO GIVE THEM COFFEE THEN I TRY TO TALK TO THEM AND FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND WHEN I DO, I TRY TO HELP THE INDIVIDUAL AS MUCH AS I CAN.

Z......

.RECENTLY WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT CRIME AGAINST GAYS, THE THEFTS, THE ASSAULTS, ETC. WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON THIS SUBJECT? TOTIE....THE GAY COMMUNITY SHOULD STICK TOGETHER AND NOTIFY ALL BARS ABOUT WHO THE PERSON (IN CRIME OR OFFENDER) IS AND WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE. I HAD A CRIME AGAINST ME WHERE I HAVE BEEN ROBBED. AND WE FOUND THE GUY. I PROSECUTED AND HE WAS PUT INTO JAIL. GAYS WHO ARE ROBBED AND/OR ASSAULTED ARE AFFRAID TO CALL THE POLICE. I'M SURE A LOT OF GAYS FEEL THAT THE POLICE WILL HARASS THEM AND THIS IS NOT TRUE. I DID FEEL THAT WAY WHEN IT HAPPENED TO ME BUT WHEN I CALLED THE LAKEWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT, IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE HOW GOOD THEY WERE TO ME.

Z...... .DID YOU TELL THE POLICE THAT YOU WERE GAY? TOTIE....YES I DID. BUT MOST PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO DO THIS BECAUSE OF THE PUBLICITY FOR WHATEVER REASONS BUT I FEEL IT TO BE A SAFER WAY. Z........DO YOU FEEL MOST BARTENDERS LOOK AFTER THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS? TOTIE....YES I DO. A FRIEND OF MINE WAS IN ONE OF THE CLUBS ONE NIGHT AND THIS GUY WAS TRYING TO PICK UP MY FRIEND. MY FRIEND WAS COOPERATIVE WITH THIS GUY AND HE WAS GOING TO GO HOME WITH HIM. I TOOK MY FRIEND ASIDE AND TOLD HIM THAT THIS GUY JUST GOT OUT OF JAIL AND HE HAD ROBBED ME. CHANCES ARE IF HE TAKES YOU HOME HE WILL ROB YOU. MY FRIEND WAS THANKFUL AND SAID TO ME THAT HE WAS GOING TO GO HOME WITH HIM. AS IT TURNED OUT, THIS GUY DID ROB SOMEONE ELSE THAT NIGHT. .DOES THIS GUY HAVE SEXUAL CONTACTS WITH PEOPLE HE TAKES HOME? TOTIE....YES HE DOES. I FEEL STRONGLY THAT THE COMMUNITY SHOULD STICK TOGETHER AND SAY HEY, I KNOW THIS GUY, HE ROBBED SO AND SO. ..HOW DO YOU SUPPOSE PEOPLE LIKE THIS FIND OUT ABOUT OUR CLUBS? TOTIE....USUALLY, ONE STARTS OUT HUSTLING IN PARKS OR AT THE MALLS. THE TRICKS THAT THEY PICK UP TELL THEM WHERE THE CLUBS ARE. IT IS SOME OF THE GAY PEOPLE WHO BRING IN THE HUSTLERS. THEY DON'T REALIZE WHAT THEY ARE DOING. I FEEL THIS IS WRONG AND I AGREE WITH WHAT OZZIE SAYS, "TAKE THEM TO THE BATHS, THEY CAN'T ROB YOU THERE."

Z....

Z.....

Z........IS THERE SUCH A THING AS A MODEL CUSTOMER?

TOTIE....NO. THERE ARE A LOT OF NICE PEOPLE WHO COME TO THE CLUBS. THEY ARE GOOD TIPPERS, THEY BUY ROUNDS OF DRINKS AND THEY ARE POLITE. BUT THERE COMES THAT ONE TIME WHERE THEY HAVE TO MUCH TO DRINK AND THEY GET NASTY WITH THE CUSTOMERS AND/OR THE BARTENDERS, THEN I HAVE TO ACT ACCORINGLY.

Z........WHAT KIND OF CUSTOMERS DON'T YOU LIKE?

TOTIE....THOSE WHO TAP THERE GLASSES OR ASHTRAYS ON THE BAR TO GET MY ATTENTION. ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M BUSY. I DETEST, "HEY YOU, GIMMIE A DRINK." Z........TOTIE, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT TO THE GAY COMMUNITY IN CLEVELAND? TOTIE....THAT THE BARS STICK TOGETHER. THERE ARE SO MANY ACTIVITIES HAPPENING. THE NOCI IS VERY IMPORTANT. IT STARTED OUT SMALL AND IT PROVED THAT WE CAN DO THINGS TOGETHER. THE PICNIC IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST FUNCTIONS WE HOLD. WE TRY TO WORK OUT THE PROBLEMS WITHIN THE GAY COMMUNITY AND I WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD GET INVOLVED.

Z........WHAT DOES NOCI STAND FOR?

TOTIE....NORTHERN OHIO COALITION, INC. WE ILLIMINATED GAY BECAUSE WE DECIDED

ANYONE WHO COULD BELONG TO THE COALITION DIDN'T HAVE TO BE GAY. Z........WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT THE GAY COMMUNITY IN CLEVELAND? TOTIE....CLEVELAND IS A TRANSIENT TOWN, WE GET A LOT OF OUT OF TOWNERS. WE ENJOY THEM AND IN TURN I HOPE THEY LIKE US. THOUGH IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE PUT CLEVELAND DOWN. WE DO HAVE A LOT OF FUN. Z........DO YOU FEEL WE HAVE ENOUGH GAY BARS TO KEEP PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS? TOTIE....YES I DO. THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THERE WASN'T A BAR OPENED DURING THE DAY BUT THERE IS NOW. BARS IS WHERE YOU MEET PEOPLE. Z..... .WHAT DON'T YOU LIKE ABOUT THE GAY COMMUNITY? TOTIE....I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING I DISLIKE. I REALLY LIKE THE GAY COMMUNITY HERE.

Z....

.WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE COALITION? TOTIE....AS I SAID BEFORE, A BIGGER PICNIC, TO GET MORE PEOPLE FROM OUT OF TOWN AND TO GET MORE MEMBERSHIPS. AND HAVE STRAIGHT PEOPLE COME AND FIND OUT WHAT THE COALITION IS ALL ABOUT. IT PROTECTS US WHEN ANYTHING GOES WRONG, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN NORMAN LIVER WAS MURDERED, THE NOCI PUT UP A $1000.00 REWARD. WE COOPERATED WITH THE POLICE 100%. THE PUBLIC KNOWS WE'RE HERE AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE STOMPED ON AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO GO BACK INTO THE CLOSETS. .DOES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT VISIT YOUR CLUB? TOTIE....YES THEY DO. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THEY COME IN WITH A WANTED PICTURE OF SOMEONE THEY KNOW HANGS AROUND THE BARS THAT HAS COME INTO TOWN. EVEN THE FBI HAS COME TO ME. I HAVE A GOOD STANDING WITH THE POLICE. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR YOURSELF?

Z.....

Z..

TOTIE....I WOULD LIKE TO OWN A CLUB LIKE THE VAULTS.

Z..

.WHAT KIND OF TIPS DO YOU MAKE?

TOTIE....WE DO PRETTY GOOD. SINCE THE ECONOMY HAS CHANGED ITS NOT LIKE IT USED TO BE. BUT ONE CAN MAKE ENOUGH TO SURVIVE.

Z.... TOTIE.

Z....

HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN A CUSTOMER HOME?

.YES I HAVE.

..DID YOU REGRET IT?

TOTIE....NO, BECAUSE THEY CAME BACK FOR MORE.

Z........YOU HAVE GAINED MORE NOTORIETY THEN ANYONE ELSE I KNOW. WHAT ARE THE PEOPLES RESPONSES WHEN YOU GO TO OTHER CLUBS?

TOTIE....THEY ARE VERY NICE TO ME. I TALK AND DRINK WITH MANY PEOPLE. I EVEN

GET ASKED OPINIONS ABOUT ONE THING OR ANOTHER. AND I USUALLY ANSWER THEM. A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK ME ABOUT OTHER BARS, WHERE THEY ARE, WHAT DO THEY DO THERE? I TELL THEM. THE BAR OWNERS APPRECIATE THIS. I DON'T FEEL THAT I AM IMPORTANT BUT I DO ENJOY MYSELF. .WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A LASTING RELATIONSHIP? TOTIE....YOU KNOW, I USED TO BE SO WILD THAT I NEVER GAVE IT MUCH THOUGHT. NOW, THAT I'M GETTING OLDER I WOULD LIKE TO TRY IT ONCE AND SEE IF ITS RIGHT FOR ME.

Z.....

Z...

.YOU NEVER HAD A LOVER?

TOTIE. .NO, NOT REALLY.

Z...

.WOULD YOU GIVE UP YOUR LIFE STYLE FOR THIS RELATIONSHIP? TOTIE....I WOULD HAVE TO GIVE UP A LOT BUT I WOULD NOT GIVE UP MY ACTIVITIES WITH THE GAY COMMUNITY.

Z.....

..TOTIE, IF YOU HAD TO CHANGE ANYONE THING IN YOUR LIFE UP TO THIS POINT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

TOTIE....I WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE MY IMAGE. I AM SO OPEN MOUTHED ABOUT EVERYTHING. I WOULD LIKE TO CUT DOWN ON MY DRINKING. THOUGH, I HAVE OFTEN WONDERED, IF I DIDN'T HAVE MY BIG MOUTH AND I DIDN'T SAY WHAT I FELT OR IF I DIDN'T READ THE CUSTOMERS THEN I FEEL THAT I WOULDN'T BE ME.

Z........YOU LIKE TOTIE, DON'T YOU?

TOTIE....I LIKE TOTIE.

Z........ARE YOU PRONE TO SENSATIONALISM?

TOTIE....YES, I GUESS I AM. I LIKE TO BE KNOWN AND I LIKE BEING IN THE PUBLIC.

Z.....

DO YOU LIKE THE ADORATION THAT THE GAY PEOPLE GIVE YOU?

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