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Lady Marmalade

I had become quite the gay activist at work, too. My friend, Byron, and I carried the message of gay liberation to our respective campuses. Early in 1975 there was a gay conference at Ann Arbor, Michigan to which he and I trecked in his old VW bus.

(Play Patti LaBelle’s “Lady Marmalade” [1975])

Hey Sister, Go Sister, Soul Sister, Go Sister (x2)
He met Marmalade down in Old New Orleans
Struttin' her stuff on the street
She said 'Hello,
hey Joe, you wanna give it a go?
'Mmm Hmmm Gitchi Gitchi Ya Ya Da Da (?)
Gitchi Gitchi Ya Ya
Here (?)

(fade to background)

There are so many good stories from this conference, but I only have time for one.

I was leaning against the bar at the VFW, where two hundred gays and lesbians bounced the dance floor to the astonishment of the local bartenders.

(Fade in “Lady Marmalade”)

Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?

(fade out “Lady Marmalade”)

Across the smoky room entered Wayne, six foot three inches of Norse God wrapped in a beaver coat. He leisurely surveyed the place and walked straight between the dancers to my side. "Well," he said, "there's no point in wasting any time. You're far and above the most desirable man in this place."

(Fade in

Creole Lady Marmalade
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?

and out “Lady Marmalade”)

Yes, we did spend the night together.

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