Anecdotes:

Michael Chapman graduated from high school one year before I did. I had been friends with his twin brother, Mark. I hadn’t seen Mike for at least a year after graduation – then one Sunday afternoon, as I sat on a Decatur Street curb, he passed by and said, "RALPH. What are you doing sitting there -- begging for change? Is that what you’ve been doing with yourself?" Now, at this time I wasn’t completely out, so I was a bit taken aback by his form of humor and manner. We talked for a minute about his brother and then he abruptly said, "I have got to go – it’s tea." I was like, "Tea?" he rolled his eyes took a puff from his cigarette and said, "Oh please. You aren’t there YET? I’ll see you there soon." And then he sauntered off. I soon discovered that "tea" was the Sunday afternoon beer bust that has become a fag institution. Soon I too was there with him, dancing to early 90’s house and gulping gassy draft Bud at the Bourbon Pup. Michael was my first cruising guide and gossip partner. He was insatiably lustful and sophisticated. He bought all the right magazines and read all the right books – he introduced me to Genet. He called me his "project."

-Ralph McGinnis