Last Call for Holiday Bar My Memory, Bill Kaelin

Last Call for Holiday Bar My Memory, Bill Kaelin

Holiday Bar

Bar ephemera

"Last Call for Holiday Bar" notecard from Holiday Bar's farewell party.

Bill Kaelin

Chuck Tierney

Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC 3.0 US)

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8.5 inches x 11 inches

English

Last Call for Holiday My Memory: ?Dear Chuck: I was surprised you still had my email address after all these years, although I confess I still have yours in my email address book. In fact, I had heard the rumor about the Holiday in mid February and had intended to write you at some point in not too distant future since I had heard originally that the close date was in June. So many emotions for me tied up in this announcement. First, the Holiday was one of the first gay bars I ever went to. When I first came out?Tuesday and/or Thursday afternoons, I?d leave work a little early, we?d get a case of Rolling Rock ponies and go to the Fruit Loop and then to the Holiday where you were just starting the six drink ticket and food deal. Big Butch was bartending and I also think Dorothy on occasion but I could be mistaken. So the Holiday itself holds significance in my coming out process. Secondly, you and Chuck are the last two of the original bar owners left from my early out days. DB is gone-- Lucky retired-- Big Butch gone. Chuck Locey gone. Morrow and that group at Pegs [Pegasus] either retired or gone. I don?t really count Thinnes even though he was around back then, I rarely went to the Norreh or its reincarnations. So now there are precious few people working in the bars whom I know and now the last of the original owners are retiring. The bar scene for me is like a bar scene from a different city. Thirdly, you and I share a friendship which while not a close or continuing one, is nonetheless meaningful to me. I know that if I ever needed or your help, and it was within your power to do so, you would help me. Just as you did in 1996?(edited)?And I always will be thankful to you for that act of kindness?(edited, personal)? Well if the rumors are true that CMU bought the property, I trust you got a nice enough price to allow you to retire in comfort. You surely deserve it after everything you and Chuck did for the gay community over the years. I will always be proud to count you as a friend. I hope to see you soon. Maybe when you retire, you will finally have the time for us to get together for drinks and a dinner. Would really love that. Love, Bill.?

2007-04-29

Series 5: Last Call for Holiday Bar Memorabilia