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December 31, 2004
Full Circle
More than ten years ago, I was living in a closet in London. It wasn’t terribly comfortable, but at least it was a larger closet than the one I had fled from in Texas. Armed with a Let’s Go! guide series to London, I looked on the two pages of Gay London for my first foray into the world of homosexuals and alcohol. The Kings Arms on Poland Street was listed as ‘friendly.’
I walked past the friendly Kings Arms about a million times over the space of two weeks, never quite getting the courage to enter those doors. They weren’t large doors, but I just didn’t have the strength. One afternoon, I finally forced myself through those doors, awaiting something forbidden and erotic.
What I found was four very large old men, all over 60, all drinking in the afternoon. Not exactly forbidden or erotic. What the old men found was a scrawny chicken who would have squawked if any of them had said a word. My trembling legs led me to the bar, where I asked for a cider. The bartender raised an eyebrow at my request for a drink for teenagers, but gave me one without a word. I had only begun drinking alcohol, so my taste for beer was still in the fetal stage. I quickly finished the beer with all of the old men staring at me, then left back for the closet for another few months.
Fast forward to last night. Derrick met up with me at Compton’s in Soho, which is now one of my favorite pubs. We ended up chatting with a funny guy from Portugal and a guy named Stephen from London. After a few pints, Stephen suggested that we go to Kings Arms on Poland St., as apparently I would be popular there.
I almost choked on my cider (I still drink it when I’m in London). Apparently Kings Arms is a very popular venue for guys with hairy chests, shaved heads, and beards. Now that being gay is simply being me, I had a great time with everyone in a very cozy pub that originally scared me senseless. It was first opened in 1706, and was the place where the Druids reorganized in 1784. Eleven score years later, a gay Texan relished ten years of being queer and had a lovely night.
Posted by G at December 31, 2004 09:23 AM
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Comments
So the bartender let you order a pint this time without any funny looks? :)
Posted by: Jess at December 31, 2004 10:42 AM
I love the King's Arms! It was the first gay bar I ever went to in London, back in 1999, and I've gone back several times on every trip. And now that I love the bears, it's actually the perfect place for me. That, and the Hoist. Ahem.
Posted by: ted at December 31, 2004 12:50 PM
Wow. Druids! And the circle goes round. Or something like that.
Posted by: MzOuiser at January 4, 2005 07:00 PM