"Okay, Bill. Believe me, Honey, I'd take the potato sacks and you before I'd

take the swankiest apartment in town with anyone else. Look, Honey, you're going to be home for dinner on time tonight, aren't you?"

"Oh, yeah, that's why I called. How would you like to doll up in your best bib and tucker and let me take you to the fanciest restaurant in town tonight? I'd like to show you off. I feel like spending a little money for a change something real special. How about it?”

"So you didn't forget! Honey, you're just about as subtle as a Mack truck.” "Forget? Forget what?"

"Our anniversarythought you were going to catch me, didn't you? Well, I didn't forget either. Four weeks ago today and they're the most perfect four weeks of my life. But dinner at a restaurant is out O-U-T out!

"I haven't ironed any shirts and I wasn't working on the drapes. Honey, I just came in the door with two of the biggest, thickest, juciest steaks you ever saw in your life. And I bought two of the biggest artichokes you ever saw in your life; one of the most beautiful bottles of Scotch you ever saw in your life; and the most gorgeous bunch of flowers I could find in front of Magnin's.

"We're going to have the most romantic, candle-light dinner you can imagine and we're going to have it right here at home. Hey, wait a second the mail just came. Hang on, Honey. Let's see if we got anything interesting." "Okay, I'll hang on. Make it snappy."

“Bill. Bill, do you suppose you could come home for the rest of the day? Would your boss let you off? It's pretty important. This would have to happen right now!"

"Golly, I don't know. But I'll ask. What is it? You really sound shook up. Bad news from home? Tell me old Bill can fix it."

"Come on home, Bill. Honey, please come on home!"

"I don't know if I can. But I'll try. But, golly, what is it? It can't be that grim you sound as if you're pregnant or something!"

"Well, I wish to God I was! I wish to God I was pregnant!"

"Then what is it? Tell me. Old Bill will fix it. Old Bill can fix anything, you know that! Tell me!"

"Well, okay, old Bill. Old Bill can fix anything! Let's see you fix this I just got my lousy, goddam, draft notice!"

The past cannot be changed, the future is still in your power. -HUGH WHITE

mattachine REVIEW

}

Whom

BY STANLEY NORMAN'

Should We

NOT Tell?

Reading the articles in the Mattachine Review entitled "Whom Should We Tell?" by Carl B. Harding (August, 1956), "The Problem of Hypocrisy...Does It Affect Homosexuals?" by Ward Summer (April; 1956) and "Discard the Mask" by Bob Bishop (April, 1958) one gathers the impression that it is better to reveal our identity as a hom sexual first and then later take steps to inform our listeners of what homosexuality is. This involves a great deal of courage, more than many homosexuals have, to come right out and tell their friends and associates of their deviated nature. Itis a fine thing if we, as homosexuals, can bring ourselves to the point of revealing in an honest, forthright manner what we really are. Many will respect our stand once we have

this courage to "Remove the Mask”. But what of those who have not reached this point where they are ready to let their guard down completely? These individuals still want to do their part

toward bringing homosexuality out in the open where it can be discussed and the public informed. There is another way we can accomplish almost the same thing without exposing our true identity so abruptly as suggested in the three articles mentioned above. We can first prepare the ground, as it were, making it more readily acceptable to the idea of homosexuality. We can prepare our listeners for what it is, how extensive it is, and the need to recognize homosexuals as a sizable minority which includes many professional and business people of high standing in the community. This approach will smooth the way and provide the right opportunity or time to tell them what we really are. To reveal our true identity first, especially to those who may not know much about the homophile or who would be easily repulsed by learning that someone they knew was a homosexual, is neither wise nor kind. The authors referred to above would have us come 15