Totie Speaks Out

By Ray Chesnick, Jr.

Totie Simon, for years a visible and outspoken member of Cleveland's gay community and practi,cally an institution in and of himself, speaks frankly to High Gear readers about himself and his views on our community:

RAY: WHERE ARE YOU FROM, ORIGINALLY? TOTIE: Elyria.

R: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN CLEVELAND?

T: For Twelve years.

R: WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO CLEVELAND?

T: The gay bars, of course. I moved to be close to the gay life in Cleveland. The first bar I was ever in was the 620. Sam Dobbins, the manager then, was a good friend and was the one who taught me how to "read."

R: WHERE HAVE YOU WORKED IN THE AREA?

T: I started at the Change with Bob Leesburgh and it was there that Mary Norman taught me how to tend bar. I was there for two years before it closed. I then worked at Twiggy's as a bartender for a year and a half. Then I worked, for not too long, at the old Traxx, again, as a bartender. After I left Traxx, I

stayed out of the scene for about five years; I just had grown tired of gay bars. Three years ago I came back to manage Vaults and also started to work the door at the new Traxx.

R: TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT THE VAULTS.

T: Vaults has been open for six years. The Sunday dinners were started over four years ago by Bob and, at first, there were small turnouts. Now there are over i40 people for dinner every Sunday. It draws a lot of out-of-town people to Cleveland. Vaults has built a reputation that goes far beyond the Cleveland area.

Mary Norman, my boss and the sole owner of the Vaults, is a real fantastic person. She has been really good to me; good to all her help. She has trusted me with my ideas and has let me go ahead and try them out. I designed The Underground at Vaults, which recently opened. So Far, they've all worked out; the ideas have paid off.

Vaults is always trying to improve and do somthing different. Traxx has also done a lot of work and remodeling to bring back the gay crowd; they're trying real hard.

R: MANY PEOPLE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT YOU'RE AN OGRE, BUT YOU REALLY

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High GEAR Interview

SEEM TO BE A PUSSYCAT. WHY THE DISCREPANCY?

T: Most people don't understand me when I get rude. I try to keep "trash" out so that the people will have a nice place to go and be able to have a good time without worrying about fights or getting hurt. Why should someone come in and spend money and get hassled by straight people, or, for that matter, anyone else. That's generally what people don't understand about me and my rough edges.

R: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT LIFE HERE IN CLEVELAND?

T: I like Cleveland, especially the people, even though the people generally dislike me. Cleveland has come a long way as far as gay bars: people are coming out a lot more. Look at the picnic--I helped start it three years ago and look how far it's come in just three years. It had a small beginning and now it's known all over and it really is a big deal.

R: WHAT, IF ANYTHING AT ALL, ABOUT CLEVELAND WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE CHANGED?

T: I wish people would come out more during the week and support the bars; and I mean all the bars, not

just Vaults. The bars go to a lot of trouble with special events and people here complain that there really is nothing going on. But there is a lot going on around in this town. I would also like to see all the bars get along and work together more-more than just once a year on the picnic.

R: THANKS TOTIE, FOR TAKING THE TIME FOR THIS INTERVIEW.

T: Thank you!

PLACES OF IN

Totie Simon behind the bar at the VAULTS.

HAPPY HOUR 7 P.M. 10 P.M. MON-SAT

WE ARE small but FRIENDLY

OPEN OCT. 17, 1981

SUNDAY 1 P.M. ?

Specials Change Every 2 Hrs.

NIGHT PEOPLE

3304 St. Clair 522-9335 Formerly (Old Timers Cafe)

OPEN

OCT. 17, 1981

SAVE This Ad For 1⁄2 Off First Drink

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