The music at The
8Ball Bar and Lounge is a little more cutting edge then the music at most of
the other Albany bars. The Playhouse, which is five blocks away on Central
Avenue, tends to play old disco and caters to a much older crowd. There in the
back bar you will dance to the Disco Version of Memory and lots of Donna
Summer.
Grace Jones, The
Thompson Twins and Frankie Goes to Hollywood are in heavy rotation at the 8
Ball and anything goes. Feel like lying on the floor while the music plays,
just so you can look at the lights? Go right ahead. Feel like dancing by
yourself or partner with the wall? Be my guest.
I do notice that
even though the crowd sways to a younger vibe the club is a little segregated.
Near the DJ Booth are a series of benches referred to as the bleachers. This is
where 90% of the African American clientele likes to hang out. There seems to
be a plethora of African American Drag Queens who migrate to the club. Maybe
they are drawn in to the club by the goddess at the door Miss Kenny? But this
is where I meet some of my first mentors. Drag Queens tend to be quick on their
feet when it comes to verbal comebacks and cutting someone down to size is a
skill. They take no shit and they don’t put up with it either. What is so
fascinating to me is how they can cut someone down and you laugh at what they
are saying. It is a learned defense mechanism and I pay close attention.
The
leader of this pack of Drag Queens is a skinny white boy who skips putting on
his deodorant when he heads out to the club. His nickname according to Kim is
“Stinky.” That’s funny that I would someday meet a hustler with the same
nickname. His real name is John but the Drag Queens refer to him as Chaka. I’m
assuming that’s derived from the singer Chaka Kahn, but I never ask.
I approach Chaka
to ask for a light, really I am there to get to know the various queens and
hang out with him. Chaka is about 5’10, bald headed and refers to himself as
the “mother of these children”. Kim warns me before I go over to this group
that they will rob me blind. “Always have one eye on your pocket,” Kim whispers
a warning into my ear. Kim has no love for them and tells me that they steal
bar tips all the time. As I approach Chaka, Kim wanders away and returns to her
job cleaning ashtrays, picking up empty beer bottles and finished cocktails.
Tonight, there
are five drag queens hanging out with Chaka smoking cigarettes and drinking.
They turn the back of the club into their own personal runway and “walk” for
each other. As I approach several of the Drag Queens stop what they are doing
and watch me. ‘Hi, I say with a little wave. My name is Geoff.
Chaka’s back is
to me and he does a slow turn around to meet me. His eyes immediately look me
up and down; he is calculating a way to cut me down if he has to. “What brings
you to the dark side of the moon?” he asks extending the back of his hand. I
believe that he actually wants me to kiss it but I grab it and shake it
vigorously.
I tell them my
story and Chaka motions me to sit with him. The drag queens surround me and
listen intently. By the end of the night they have smoked all of my cigarettes
and my wallet is empty from buying them drinks.
to be
continued…..
Geoffrey Doig-Marx holds all written and electronic rights to his writing "A Day in the Life". It can not be reprinted in part or whole without his written consent.
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