One Day at the Roxy Theater

Burlesque Theater in Cleveland, Ohio

Burlesque Theater in Cleveland, Ohio

 

 

The Roxy Burlesque Theater was located in Cleveland, Ohio on East Ninth Street.  It was where I began to discover more about my sexuality as a young boy.  One day, my friends suggested that we ride the rapid transit downtown and attempt to gain admission to see a show.  Well, I found myself standing in front of the ticket counter with money in hand, and a serious face, attempting to convince the  ticket person to sell me a ticket.  It worked, we all gained admission to see the vaudevillian comedians and strippers perform on that Spring day in 1963.  While sitting in the front row, we laughed and exchanged glances between us, trying to tell ourselves that we had a right of passage to be there.  The drums rolled, the curtain went up, then this beautiful specimen of a woman danced and stripped to her bra and “g string.”  As a young boy, it was my first time seeing a real woman, it was startling, yet exciting.  She danced and moved around the stage until another young boy sitting near us caught her attention.  I looked ever so closely at his face, It was Elmer Clink.  This blond haired, blue eyed kid sat next to me in my Geometry class.  His attention was transfixed on her while his eyes were mesmerized in amazement at her statuesque presence .  The stripper stopped and spoke to him, “Son, does your mother know that you are here?”  It was as though she was speaking to all  of us that had  lied about our age to get in to see her. I felt guilt and shame, Elmer began to cry, tears were streaming down his pale white face.  He was alone, although I felt like we shared the same feelings.  We had shared this remarkable  experience although he would never know it, since I kept it a secret, I never told him about it, I wanted to save him from any future embarrassment.  I was able to put myself in Elmer’s shoes, so to speak, I was beginning to understand the human condition and more about the meaning of empathy. How has empathy played a part in your life?