You Just Can Not Make This Up

A legendary Drag Diva was very ill. Shortly before her passing the community had a fundraiser for her. The community and generous club owner made a large donation to her cause. She was most thankful of all the love and made her feel very honored. She was worried that someone would steal the cash so she hid it. After her passing the administrator of her estate looked and looked for the money but did not find it. They did all the right things and closed the banking account, turned the utilities off &, &, &. Then they went to the post office to close her mail box. There on the bottom of the mailbox, under the mail, to their surprise, was an envelope with the cash in it. For years this was her hiding place for cash.  You Just Can Not Make This Up.

There comes a time when guys start to notice too much gray hairs sneaking in. When that started for me, I went to an older guy friend (Donald Vanderborgh) to ask for advice. Donald told me about Just For Men hair dye. He also said to get the lightest possible and don’t leave it on for the full 5 minutes. I have been taking his advice for over 20 years now.  Donald always used black hair coloring for his hair and mustacho. The last year of his life was spent in hospitals and rehabilitations. He went 1 full year with no color and everything turned back to grey. At his funeral, some of his former co workers said that they would have never recognized him with all the white hair.  I just laughed (his secret was safe with me) and told them it must have been the medicine because it turned that way all of a sudden. LMAO!!!  Donald husband at that time was Buddhist and he was very close to the Buddhist community.  It is customary for them to burn incest at the funeral. This Funeral Parlor said no to smoke.  So, they sprayed cologne on him instead. He left this world smelling GREAT!!

We all have a favorite Crazy Great Aunt. Our great Aunt, who just turned 90, recently purchased a very small electric car. She was laughing about how small the car was. One day she picked up 3, 80- to 95-year-old girlfriends and headed off to a favorite park. The park has a fun hiking trail. Suddenly she had an idea!!!! Let drive the car down the hiking trails. The 4 ladies started to drive down the gravel trail. Politely (ya right??)   asking people to get out of their way!!!! They were almost all the way thru the trail when the car got stuck on a small wooden bridge.  She called for help and out came the park rangers. The rangers scolded the ladies not to drive on the trail again. Then started to laugh and said they all look like their Grand Mothers. Our naughty Aunts, Of course  then invite the rangers for cocktails. LMAO

Carrie went home to visit family in Wisconsin. Arriving back home in Ybor City I carried has suitcase into the house. I remarked it was very heavy!!! When I opened it up it was filled with Wisconsin cheese!!!! Then I noticed there were no clothes in the suitcase. I asked where are your clothes Carrie????? With a big smile Carrie said I had the clothes shipped home to make more room for the cheese.

USF LGBTAQ LIBRARY SPECIAL COLLECTION

Our friend Rex Maniscalco was a famous LGBT photographer in Tampa.  Rex had started several large collections of LGBT photos and videos.  We all were friends with Bobbie & Kay. They were a popular Lesbian couple. Bobbie was also a photographer but started much earlier, in the 1950’s.  Rex had talked Bobbie into donating some of her photos to USF Tampa.  After Rex’s death we offered to help his mom clean out his home. His Mom told us to take anything we wanted. Since Rex was a bit of a hoarder there wasn’t much of anything in the home. EXCEPT…. We did manage to put together 16 boxes of photos, flyers, magazines & videos. We then donated all 16 boxes to the “USF LGBTAQ LIBRARY SPECIAL COLLECTION” Here is a special report on the collection from WTSP 10 NEWS .  https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/community/lgbtq-history-tampa-bay-usf-library/67-c90bc62a-c6e2-44e3-81fd-adaace6463d3

Much More about Bobbie & Kay

Source of Acquisition, Mark Bias and Carrie West

https://archives.lib.usf.edu/repositories/2/resources/324

REX Flicker

https://www.flickr.com/photos/efmphotos/albums?fbclid=IwAR3NVnJ1LkYaVq1s8uYXDAkZIFQobPI5ZqVCS3oE1b2MLyRfqip4-NNkfEA

In Ybor City there is a lot of talk about the new noise ordinance.  It reminds us of a time at the SunCoast Resort in St. Petersburg. We owned the Gay Pride Store “MC Film” there. Outside our store faceting the courtyard were 2 outside speakers.  To the west was a large parking lot, then the street. Across the street and 300 feet was a small house. The people in this house would always complain about the music being too loud.  Sometimes it was us but most of the time it was one of the 5 bars in the complex. One Sunday morning in October we were playing our music. In walked the police. We immanently apologize to the police… Sorry it was too loud. The police started to LAUGH!!!! Said it was not too loud but the people called to complain about the music we were playing it was so bad and asked to make us STOP PLAYING IT!!! It was October and we were playing and dancing to poka music!!! https://youtu.be/l8EoIcG-ZBU

The very BEST Birthday Celebration we have been to in a very long time!!! My work husband Miss April May-June Cooper turned the BIG 50 last week. We all know April loves black, goth culture, rock music, her family and friends!!!  The private party was held at The Showbar Ybor City. Karl Piessens spent over 30+hours to build a beautiful coffin with purple lining. He had everyone sign it with a silver pen. We made a huge black funeral wreath and filled it with photos of April.  The guest wore black and even painted their fingernails black.  John and David were in charge of the food and many other guests helped with the decorations. Aissa Barrie brought a one-of-a-kind Coffin Birthday Cake complete with fireworks candles.

 Both of Miss April’s sons are very talented and professional musicians. Denver Cooper was home from a European tour and brought his Spanish girlfriend for us all to meet.   Wyatt Cooper also had a new girl friend for all to meet. The brothers both took turns signing to Miss April. The guy’s father was also here. He too is a professional singer and performed several songs. There were so many tears of joy for everyone!!!! (Some of the performances are on my Facebook page Mark Bias West)

Now for a “ONLY IN YBOR STORY” At the end of the party my Carrie went to get our van to take the coffin to Aprils & Sparkles home. Ybor was unusually very busy for a Sunday night. Carrie doubled parked the van and opened the back door. Then went inside and told the guys to bring it out. Back at the van the police were there with lights going. The officer asked Carrie what he was doing? Carrie told him he was here for a pick up. The police said he could not park there!!!! Just then 4 big guys walked out of the bar caring the coffin out with the funeral wreath on top of it.  It was very heavy filled with birthday gifts. The officer asked “Is there in a body in that???”  Carrie replied “I was just told to come and pick up the coffin.” With that the officer stopped the traffic in both directions and let them load the coffin!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY APRIL!!!! WE ALL LOVE YOU!

This week I heard a familiar sad story. A Bar/Restaurant owner stealing from staff.  Sadly, this has been happening for as long as I can remember.  

 Years ago there was a popular Gay bar in Tampa.  It was a straight topless bar before. The club owners, who in their own minds thought they were Mafi, decided to try a Gay bar. Or F#got bar as they would say. The club was a hit. Two of the club promoters (both Gay) were friends of ours. After a couple of years they told me that the club was going to try a Friday Happy Hour and would I come as a favor and bartend. The shift was 5 to 8. My 1^st day should have been a clue.  I walked into a huge mess. Even the fruit was still sitting out on the bar top from 4 days before. At the end of the shift I took my cash drawer to the owners office. You opened the door and there was a huge fancy desk with the owners sitting behind it, with his back to the wall. On the desk top was a loaded gun facing the door I just walked in. He would count the money then give me my credit card tips.  On week #4 he told me that I was allowing the F#gots to leave with too much money in their pockets. Then went on to tell me I should start over charging – add extra drink to tabs. WTF. The next week #5 I had a OK shift and ring. No padding!!! I take the cash drawer to the office. The desk was covered with take out food next to the gun. The owner and his “whore of the week” were both pigging out on the BBQ Ribs and had food all over their faces. He looked at the register print out. Then counted the drawer very fast. Looked up and said you are $40 short!!! I said that’s not right let’s recount the drawer. He said NO & told me to F off. Then said that I did not tip out the barback. I told him I didn’t have a barback and every week started by cleaning the bar and taking the trash out myself.  Then he took $80 out of my credit card tips and handed me the remainder of $3.00. I said Thank You, walked out and never came back.

If you live in Florida then you probably know what FABULOSO is. It’s a cleaner with a strong flower smell. Like Pine Sol but flowers.  I was working at a Gay Club where they used fabuloso in the spray bottles to clean everything.  One day a new Drag Queen came in to perform.  The very 1st thing she said was… “YUCK!!! This place smells just like jail!!”  OMG!!! who says something like that??? LMAO One day we heard she was coming back.  To be nice, we sprayed some in the dressing room to make her feel at home.  LMAO