December 4th, 1977

John just left. I did have a good time last night. We started off having champagne here at the apartment Then we went to the Lost and Found, getting stoned on the way over. John is a very interesting man. He’s 40 years old and has just come out. He was divorced three weeks ago after 20 years of typical intellectual Jewish marriage.

The intellectual bravery involved astounds me. He told his wife, his mother, his family. He now has his own efficiency apartment and is discovering the hedonistic joys of being an open gay lifestyle with the wide-eyed wonder of a child. John has an obvious joyousness– a capacity to feel good. I love being around people like that. He’s so new to everything gay. I, who have been around, feel like such a hardened old queen about so much. After the Lost and Found we went to The Eagle– his first visit. Then we went across the street to The Eagle in Exile and danced into sweet oblivion on poppers and bulging bodies and a dance floor that flashes in neon frenzy.

After the Exile we went to Georgetown and had reuben sandwiches and espresso at The American Cafe. He seemed enchanted with me– which makes me feel enchanting. We finish the evening at the Court Jester– dancing and poppers. Then home again to Shirley Bassey and fucking.