THE GREAT FAERIE CARAVAN:
A TRUE STORY

Copyright 1997, by Stuart Norman


        On October 1, 1987, a caravan of faeries left Los Angeles, CA on a trip across country to attend the March on Washington. Some of us had driven down the day before from the Bay Area and other parts of California to converge on the home of Harry Hay and John Burnside. Our plans were to drive across the country in four days, camping each night, and meet up with another group of faeries in Ohio before the final day’s drive into Washington, D.C. Plans for this trek had been made well in advance. Some of the Bay Area faeries had created a large number of skirts made of tasteful camouflage fabric to sell at the March.
        Spending overnight at Harry and John’s was a wonderful experience. Having known about them for so many years, I was looking forward to this my first time meeting them. We spent long hours talking into the early morning. I had the privilege of sleeping in the trailer that Harry had named tenemos, where many faeries in years past had also spent the night.
        Leaving the next morning on Gay Standard Time, of course, the caravan of assorted vehicles left La Cresta Court and made it’s way across the Mojave desert on I-40. Harry and John wanted me to drive their Land Cruiser so we could continue to talk. Even in early October the Mojave was very hot, albeit dry. The Cruiser did not have air conditioning. I remember, fondly and thankfully, John repeatedly wiping my forehead with a wet handkerchief.
        On other days, I rode with other people, or sometimes drove. The trip was basically uneventful, except for the usual faerie shenanigans. I especially enjoyed the colorful landscapes of Arizona and New Mexico. We stopped in quaint Old Town Albuquerque to sample the famous sopapillas (a kind of fried flour tortilla served with sweet syrup) at the old restaurant, which has a large tree growing in its center court.
        Then Texas, northward to Oklahoma, Missouri, where we stopped at the Arch in St Louis, and then on to a campground outside the city. Some of the group went to the baths that night and met friendly folk. Indiana - by now the weather was getting cooler. Finally, we arrived in late afternoon at the designated state park in Ohio. A cold front was moving in. We were tired and hungry. Our food was running low. To further dampen our spirits, it began to snow. As evening fell there was no sign of the other faeries. We considered our options for the night, bundled up the best we could and waited. At least the park provided restroom facilities with hot showers, so we knew we could at least refresh ourselves after three days without bathing.
        Suddenly a miracle happened. The northern faeries arrived, bringing joy and new resolve to make the best of the situation, also food! And in true faerie style we made even better. It was fortunate that the restroom facility was large and heated. In a few minutes we had set up tables, covered them with food and even decorated the place. With hot showers, warm and hot friendships and much good food we had created faerieland! It was also magical that no park ranger was around to check on us - who knows what might have happened. After being refreshed, filled, fulfilled and warmed, we put the facility back in its original condition. No one would have known we had been there. Except for one thing. There were those hot air hand dryers and I couldn’t resist penning the message, “For a hot blow job, press button.” on one. This is faerie magic.
        The next morning dawned clear and we began the last leg of our trip to D.C. West Virginia, through a small piece of Maryland, finally the Capitol. I had plans to meet an old friend who had gotten us a hotel room. I don’t know exactly how we found each other amid the craziness of hundreds of thousands of faggots and dykes streaming into D.C., but we did. More faerie magic.
        I didn’t march with the faerie contingent. I felt that the leather contingent needed my support. No faerie was bent out of shape about that. After the March, I wended my way to visit my mother in North Carolina and then a three-day bus trip back to California, where I was to start a new relationship and living situation. These experiences were a fabulous interlude preceding the start of another major chapter in my life.


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