Charles Alexander
Parting Glances: Riddle me this ... A fable
Long, long ago in the Greek city of Thebes, a Sphinx – half woman, half lioness – guarded the city's ancient gate, asking a riddle of travelers seeking refuge from their long journey. "Which creature in the morning goes on all four legs, at midday [...]
Parting Glances: Twitch! Twang! Twitter!
My doctor tells me I've developed a mild case of twangitis. If left untreated it can turn into full-blown twitchitis. I've suspected as much. For weeks now I've had come-and-go bouts of tinnitus, funny ringing in my ears. Off key, D-flat cords, [...]
Parting Glances: Scatterpin gets booked
In spite of negative publicity and candid pix in La No-No del Inquirer, the worldwide Vatican super market tabloid, Sr. Serena Scatterpin begins a book-signing tour on Oct. 11, National Coming Out Day. The redoubtable Renegade Sister of Mary and [...]
Parting Glances: On the QT.com (#2)
TOM TOP-QT: Sorry our Lenin's Tomb, Red Square assignation (instead of a little-too-obvious G-A-I Paree rendezvous) is no go for you. Tough travelog! Hook-up closeting – getting it on in an out-of-the-way place (that's my bag) vs. GOP loyalty (your [...]
Parting Glances: Invasion of the 'bud'y snatchers
Some call it coincidence. One of nature's oddball pranks, like small fish or polliwogs falling by the thousands from an empty sky. If I believed in signs and miracles, I might grant that just maybe there's a connection between events occurring days [...]
Parting Glances: Scapegoat Diary: 2053
June 28, 2053 Dear Diary: Another same sex couple has been "relocated" – my neighbors two doors down, the boys who did a wonderful job of gentrifying that old house on Wells Street. Didn't really get to know them, but they always waved, said hello. [...]
Parting Glances: Snow goes blue at 50
Snow White was 50 when she had her only toon. Although her theme song had long been, "Someday My Prince Will Come," her Prince Charming never did – until Doc of the Seven Dwarfs gave him a magic little blue pill that did the trick. Before that [...]
Parting Glances: Green carnations for a Hilberry
Somewhere pressed in my book of tattered memories is a green carnation, remarkably fresh with the passage of time. It's there with a wrist corsage I hadn't the courage to wear to my senior prom and some daisy chains I linked together at my 50th [...]
SOS! TOM-TOP QT.Com
Parting Glances I don't look gay. I don't act gay. Ever since I discovered at age six that I was "that way" – odd, different, light in my loafers – I've made it a badge of honor not to tell family, classmates, church members anything about my sex [...]
Parting Glances: Our peg house or theirs?
In 1953, a madam by the name of Polly Adler wrote a tell-all best seller about her 30 years in the brothel business, "A House is Not a Home." It created a sensation. (I was too young to apply for a real estate license; but I do recall my parents [...]
Parting Glances: But not on the hole
October 11 – Coming Out Day – will roll around this year with challenges from a new organization for ex-gays and their therapists: Parents & Friends Advocating Reparative Religion. Like it or not, the LGBT event that started just years ago – set [...]
Parting Glances: Tell it to the Marines, Mary!
Twentynine Palms, Calif. is blessed with temperatures in the mid-70s year 'round – and a heapin,' helpin' handful of sharpshooter marines. Keep that in mind if your planning a trip to that financially beleaguered part of the country. (For whatever [...]