One day at MC Film, Our Gay Pride Store, a favorite customer walked in and asked for a job. With a surprised look we said would love to but could never afford him. The retired executive just laughed and said after he retired there was just so many times, he could rearrange his furniture. What a perfect place for a Gay guy to work at… our Gay Pride Store. Mr. Mike started to work for one or 2 days a week.  We were lucky to have him and learned so very much from Mr. Mike.

When you are open to the LGBTQ+ public all kinds of people walk thru the door. 99% are great. The 1% could be having a bad day, high or drunk, on or off their meds, etc.etc. etc. Mr. Mike was very calm and had a deep southern accent. This was the 1^st time we heard “Bless your hearts” & “Your just full of all kinds of special”.  Many people would ask all kinds of advice, especial from Mr. Mike who mentored many. Mr. Mike stayed with us until the store closed 16 years later. Today, Mr. Mike is in this 90’s and we talk every week.

We were flying home from the InterPride World Conference in Medellin, Colombia. Our flight left at 6AM. We were told to be there 3 hours before the flight. So that makes it 3AM. Needed to leave the hotel by 2AM. Up and ready at 1AM. The fun party the night before went until 11:30PM. So, you guessed it, we just stayed up.  Arriving at the airport at 3AM and there was already a line for our flight.  Boarding started at 5AM. As we entered the plane there were pillows and blankets waiting for us. The 3-hour flight to Miami would be nape time for us. It looked like many others on the flight had also stayed up all night and we all quickly fell asleep. Then at 6AM there was an announcement, there were working on the plane and we would leave soon. 7:30 AM and announced that they were almost done but needed to turn the a/c and electrical off to finish. 8AM the lights turn back on and we are told to disembark the plane. Here is the funny part…. So many people were hard asleep that the fight crew had to shake people to wake them up!!! Must have thought what a smooth flight and we are here. Wrong!!!! the plane never left the gate.  Off the plane and since we do not speak Spanish, we followed the crowed to a different gate. Then at 9:30 the crowed moved again. This time back to the original plane. 10AM, we left for Miami YAAAAA

Growing up as kid we would visit our Great-Grandmothers home. We all thought it was a castle. It was a large old Victorian home. Main stairs and back stairways. The 3^rd floor was the ballroom the attic was the storage rooms. There were balconies everywhere. The basement even had a sub-basement that was the root cellar. Our Great Aunt also lived there with her husband. She was quite the hoot!!! She would always say to us kids…” If there is ever a fire do not run up stairs or down to the basement. Run out side to the big tree in the back yard. If you are running out the front door please take your aunts favorite vase, next to the front door with you.”  Then she would show us the vase with plastic flowers in it.  Years after our Great Grand Mother and Great Aunt had passed, I was telling my Mom the strange story about the vase. Mom started to laugh and said my Aunt would hid extra cash and more important than cash to her, extra cigarettes in that vase. At her funeral they thought about putting the vase in her coffin.  My Dad said “NO” then slipped in a full pack of cigarettes (Lucky Strikes no filters) and a pack of matches. LMAO

I once worked at a very fun LGBTQ+ bar. The owner was a clean freak. He used Fabuloso to clean EVERYTHING!!! One day a new drag queen walked into the dressing room. She announced yuck this room smells like jail!  LOL it was the Fabuloso. The next time she was there we sprayed the dressing room with extra Fabuloso so she would feel at home. LMAO

You Just Can Not Make This Up

I was sitting in the car servicing waiting room when a guy comes in and sits next to me. He right way starts to tell me a story. He was at this same dealership when a 400-pound lady was walking by him and steps on his foot. She starts to fall and on the way down punches him in his mouth breaking a tooth. The worst part, in his words, she wasn’t wearing undergarments.  He was traumatized by what he saw.

 2 ambulances came to take them both away. He had a broken foot, cracked rib and cracked pelvis. Months of doctors and rehab. Then she sues him for tripping her and the dealership.  2 years later he won his case. Today he is still seeing doctors for his nightmares since.   Last. Year his son took him to and all you can eat pizza parlor. The same lady came walking towards him with 2 slices of pizza in her hands. He turned and ran out the door.

What would you say to this perfect stranger?  I was actually speechless and start to look for a hidden camera.

For over 29 years we owned and operated our Gay Pride stores.  We have met some very interesting people.  In the late 1990’s there was a street hustler/drug named Tommy. To say he was full of personality was an understatement. One day he came running into the store from the front door and tossed his wallet at us. Yelling keep it for me. Then ran out the back door. One minute later 2 big undercover cops came running in asking where did he go!!!!!  We just pointed to the back door. The cops caught Tommy and brought him back into the store demanding we give them the wallet.  We did give it back and they all left. We saw a lot of Tommy and his best friend Mike over the next couple years.

A couple of years later the police found Tommy dead in a Tampa park.  His family did not claim the body and it was cremated. The Brothers at the Catholic Church had what they called “A Gathering” for him. We went to the Gathering (celebration of life).  His friend Mike had become clean and bi sexual. Mike went on to have 2 good kids. Over the next 20+ years whenever Mike was in town he would stop by the store and often brought his kids.

Fast forward to 2024. Mike calls us and is at Tampa General Hospital. He was dying of cancer and wanted to see us. We asked what we could bring him. A Burger King Whopper would be great!!!  At the visit Mike said there is something very strange that I need to tell you.  He was in rural Georgia and stopped at a bar. He sat down and ordered a beer. Then behind him he could hear Tommy laughing!!! It gave him chilled up and down his back. He turned and there was an older Tommy standing. Mike went up to him and said Tommy, I cannot believe it we all thought you were dead. The man said I’M NOT TOMMY, turned and ran out the door. OMG WOW Do you think Tommy was in actually in the witness protection program???  We will never know for sure.  2 weeks later Mikes son called us and his Dad had passed.

A good friend of ours is Miss April. Together we have bartended together for over 10+ years. She is tons of fun and looks like “Elvira: Mistress of the Dark”. People don’t know that bartending is her fun parttime job. During the day time she is a funeral director. This year she wanted to set up a booth at the Pride Festival for her funeral home. We asked if Tampa Pride and her could be next to each other. After set up we all noticed that the booth on her other side was “Suicide Prevention”.   Hum… LMAO

WATCH OUT… I am writing a book. This week I came across these notes from 10 years ago. It still is working!!!

I was talking with a good friend one day. She told me that she was the ultimate “Hall and Oats” fan. Every day she just had to hear at least one of their songs. When she was away from home and her music, she would actually call… The “Hall and Oats Emergency Hot Line!” I laughed and said “That can’t be true. There really isn’t a Hall and Oats Emergency Hotline???? Is there???”   Yes, there is and here is the number 719 266-2837 “OMG Its REAL!!!” When you call, they give the choice of 4 songs. Then play the whole song. LOL You Just Can’t make This Up!!!

If you are lucky, you will have crazy fun sisters like we do! One SUNday FUNday 2 of our sisters (both in their upper 70’s) were in Ybor City with us. We went home early and they wanted to stay out longer. We left them unsupervised and told them to Uber home. A couple hours later we heard zoom zoom outside. Our sisters had made new friends in Ybor. When they went to call the Uber they guys said no problem we will drop you off.  They were a motorcycle club!!! As they jumped off the bikes we thought COUGERS!!!!  LMAO