by James Glaser
September 10, 2004

So, out of the blue this woman named Fanny Footloose, who writes for the Duluth Reader, starts e-mailing me about my columns. We start writing back and forth and she up and asks me to go to the Gay Pride Parade in Superior Wisconsin and I say yes.

Red flags start to fly as no one in my life has ever asked me to do anything that had to do with the Gay Community. I have no idea of why those flags started popping up in my mind, but they did, and I had already said yes.

This wasn't like a blind date, as Fanny had sent a picture of herself for me and I had seen the one in the Reader at the top of her column. I drove the 142 miles down there on Saturday morning getting to the Footloose home about 11am. We quick like headed over to Wisconsin as the Parade started at noon. Before we left, I made Ms. Footloose stand still for a moment, so I could take a look at her, knowing this would be the only time I got to see her for the first time and I always marvel at how people change after you get to know them.

At the parade, not knowing what to expect, and being from the woods I was a little apprehensive. I told Fanny that she was to pretend that we had been lovers for twenty years and she was to stick to me like glue. Then I looked at her again and wished that we had been lovers.

Well Fanny Footloose was the perfect host and I think she knew half of the people there. She did stick right by me and after a while I felt more comfortable. To tell you the truth, I had never seen any sort of a Gay Community and these people were a pleasant surprise for me.

Everyone was having a good time, the parade was small, but the participants seemed to be very enthusiastic. There were lots of cheers from the crowd and the whole thing turned out to be a family affair. There were kids marching with their parents and kids watching.

I have no idea of what I was expecting, but what I got was a fun time watching a bunch of people celebrating their way of life. Strange as this might sound, I thought the whole thing was wholesome entertainment. The parade and the spectators were having a ball and their happiness was infectious.

I had a good time at a Gay Pride Parade. Thank you Fanny.