~ GaySatyr (ABB)

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You couldn't have realized it, but you brought back some memories for me. A former partner of mine danced as a young man, before I knew him, at La Cage Aux Folles in DC. He knew a lot of the crowd whom you talked about. It was very sad for him that so many people from his youth had passed away. When he himself became ill, he returned home to his parents for the end. This experience and, also, caring for a friend with AIDS, has helped me realize personally how important it is for me to remain HIV-negative. Life is too precious, and I want to enjoy all of it in the future. Still, I did enjoy for a moment recalling some of the fun of the old days with my partner in DC. Thanks.

EV

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Sadly, 'La Cage' is no more, mostly due to bad management after Bill and Billy died. The 'Lone Star' and the 'Chesapeake House' are long gone, too, victims of the new Convention Center in downtown DC. The other gay strip clubs in SE are about to be closed by the new baseball stadium construction and, because of opposition by the various 'powers that be,' will not likely be relocated.

It's the end of an era.

~ GaySatyr (ABB)

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Chesapeake House--that was the club which my ex used talk about going to, and which I could not remember. I'm afraid that it was before my time. My ex used to get a big kick out of going into La Cage all dressed up professionally, and, then, tellig me, "I bet none of these little boys would ever guess that I used to dance here, too." We used to have a lot of fun there, as well as at Ziegfield's and Tracks. We had the best group of friends whom we used to run with and with whom we explored all of these places. Sadly, including my ex, they are all gone now. Still, it was fun while it lasted, and I've enjoyed recalling those wonderful days. Thanks.

EV

P. S. You're right. It's the end of an era!

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Did you ever go over to Atlantis (also now defunct) in Baltimore? It was run by the same people as the Chesapeake House. There was a time when one night a week, Chesapeake would have a 'Boys from Baltimore' night and Atlantis would have the 'Boys from DC' -- those were a lot of fun.

La Cage pretty much went down the tubes after LeRoy Matthews left as manager (This was after Bill Oats and his son, Billy, had both died. Bill's ex-wife tried running the place and then turned it over to a friend of hers who ultimately ran it into the ground.)

Do you remember dancers named 'Chage' (mid '80's, ex-Marine, Korean/Caucasian mix) and 'Cisco' (early '90's, active duty Army TOG, tall blond Irish/Italian)? They were my boyfriends way back when.... I miss them and the clubs.

~ GaySatyr (ABB)

Edited by - GaySatyr on 2/7/2006 12:28:07 AM

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No, I never went to Atlantis. Some of my friends used to go up to Baltimore--or Bawlmor' as the native inhabitants called it--to go dancing at a club there. It might have been called the Hippo, but that might be a totally different bar altogether.

When we were out visiting friends in the Virginia and Maryland countryside, we used to go to a dance club in Hagerstown, MD. I believe that it might have been called H2O--not sure; it's been almost a decade now since I was up there.

I cannot remember any of the dancers' names at La Cage. There were several nice guys, and a bartender or two, whom my ex and I used to talk to there. Sorry cannot remember any names. We did tend to avoid the cheaper, hustler types who were there, and stick to talking to the ones who were just good guys.

When we would go there--and to Track's and Ziegfield's--it was the mid-90's. I believe that my ex danced there in the early 80's or mid-80's, something like that--not sure when La Cage first opened up.

I did meet one of the managers at La Cage. I could be wrong, but he didn't look particularly well to me. He was very thin and gaunt, and kept trying to hit on me throughout the evening--certainly not my type. He did tell me that he had taken over running the place for a friend; I do remember that.

One thing that my ex did tell me was that several of the dancers he had known in his younger days got into drugs and hustling, and later went into porn. He said that none of them lasted long, and they all died young. He always felt that his longevity with HIV & AIDS was most likely because he had not taken that route. He was probably right. I do think that if a guy looks after himself when he is sick, he's likely to have a few more years than someone who doesn't. Still, sooner or later, the disease does seem to take its toll on all.

On an upbeat note, we got together one night with a guy who knew my ex in the old dancing days, and I asked him about what my ex was like back then. Without missing a beat this guy told me, "He was the most beautiful boy in DC!"

EV

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LOL -- The Hippo was/is Baltimore's version of the old 'Lost & Found' in DC -- like 'Tracks' but much more personable and homey. I never really liked 'Tracks' all that much. I've never been to any of the bars in Hagerstown.

Very probably I knew your ex in his dancing days. I was involved with both the 'Follies' and 'La Cage' as a photographer, shooting at special events they organized, for nearly a decade ending in the late '80's. Plus I was a regular customer from its opening until the mid '90's. And, yes, sadly, a good many of the dancers had hard lives. I'm glad your ex did well.

~ GaySatyr (ABB)

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