OUR FIFTH PINUP!

I did it!!! Yes, I finally did it!!! What did I do, you ask? On Saturday, July 26th (2002), dressed in all my finest, prettiest lady square dance apparel (with three ***VERY*** bouffant petticoats wonderfully, lovingly, happily, joyously, and fully flouncing under my skirt with every step), I joined in a local gay rights "Pride" parade and, all dressed up, happily enjoyed being out in front of what was estimated as approximately 105,000 cheering, smiling, waving on-lookers.

While I am not gay, I have found that persons who themselves live what is commonly known as "alternative lifestyles" are considerably more accepting of others who, to some degree or another, also (periodically) enjoy another side of their own lifestyle. So I was very welcomed by everyone whom I met. What I did was carry one side of the leading banner for the "Finest City Squares," the one and only local gay and lesbian square dance club. This parade, an annual event (this was, unless I am mistaken, it's 22nd year), was approximately 1.5 miles long and wound it's way through several neighborhoods the greater metropolitan area in which I reside. Until last year, I didn't even know the parade existed! Then, I caught just a snippet of the event on the local television 6 o'clock evening news. Right then and there, deep down, I somehow ***knew*** that someday I would be in that parade. For me, my personal "field of dreams" came true on a bright, clear, sunshiny, perfect weather day.