Hide~n~Seek's: Local Establishment Leaves A Trail Of Memories!

[Editor's Note: Some of the following text is taken from an article piece I wrote two years ago when Hide~n~Seek celebrated its seventh year in business. Sadly at that pointe, due to the nature of the intended article, some of the details and personal memories with HNS from my original piece were omitted at the time for space, theme, and content issues. In this tribute, now that I own the forum that F6 is published in, I can share with the public why HNS has a very special place in my heart and history, albeit in the opposite intention and currency of terms now that it is closed.]

Walking in to the bar a little late as usual (GST), I showed up on Saturday the 23rd of February, 2008 to join in the festivities with about a hundred and twenty five others to say goodbye to a place we had sought refuge and friendship in for almost the last ten years. The festivities were ushered in with Jim giving his farewell address and guests and long time patrons were entertained with Lola as emcee guiding the performances of Fort Wayne's own Latina Garret and two very handsome Erotic Male Performers Dakota and Nick from Michigan. The party continued well into the night. However, I was paged out on an emergency at one in the morning, the life of a priest is never dull.

The story of HNS

What started as the dream of two entrepreneurs ten years ago amidst competition with four other bars at the time; followed along the years with rumors and perceived evidence of lewd conduct and sometimes absolutely disgusting sexual encounters; which garnered public outrage of guest callers and hosts of AM1190 WOWO's 'The Big Show with Pat White' and included legal intervention and twink rumors have not hampered either the presence or effect of this bar on the community. Over the last ten years I have had the privilege of witnessing a bar and Community change and grow as well as be challenged to the core of its purpose and not just survive but succeed in support of the Community it served.

Please allow me share my experience at HNS.

It was late in the summer of 1998, when I passed by this bar near Cass Street, in the old Mouse House Cheese Shoppe building, near the Wells/Fairfield @ Superior bridge. I had stopped on the block to design and purchase a denim cassock at D&M Apparel. But I felt drawn to the place, rather nervously so. It was the new gay 'leather and jeans' bar in town. Even with my limited pastoral and personal experiences in our Community, I had heard references to this new bar- they weren't good.

I walked in and almost fell over myself; there were three cute bois around the bar, half to three quarters naked. I barely managed to sit down, with a few shaky attempts (due to low blood sugar levels) and started talking to the bartender on shift. I ordered a bottle of Root Beer to cool off from the Indiana summer's heat, I shared my story as a young, openly gay Catholic Minister in the area, whom had just become active in the Community nine months previous and also lost one of his mentors, a local parish priest, due to HIV/AIDS.

[Explanation: I was always out as an adult however not always active in the "Machine of the Gay Community". Fr. Jim Koons and a couple other people drew me out, into the Community, they showed me that I had a place
in it. In other words, I had a voice in the dynamics of the Community that needed to be heard as well. They brought me to a place where I could speak freely, listen well, and learn from my Family members.]

The bartender was from small-town Nebraska or Nevada and had just 'come out' within a year or so previous and was kicked out of not just his home but his town as well. I don't quite remember his name, Ray, Nick, or Brian- something simple; it is sort of vague after nine years, two heart failures, and a carjacking. The experience we shared though of absolute friendship (with no drama) has and will remain with me into the next lifetime.

It was this experience which ushered me into an even broader understanding and acceptance of our Community's cultures and subcultures. It would be a year or so before I ever returned to the bar which granted me this certain freedom within our Community.

Thanks go towards Jim and Peter, the Staff, and all the rest who have truly made this bar a beautiful place to hide out while seeking our own identity as Community members, and with the new friendships along the way, help us succeed in the battle for that identity.

[PHOTO CREDIT:] THE BOLT in Sacramento, California

Hide~n~Seek turns its blue light on for the last show tonite

With information recently attained, I am sad to inform everyone in the Fort Wayne area that, our own Gay Levi and Leather Bar has decided to close, and tonight will be the last ho rah!

The festivities will begin @ Hide~n~Seek's Pub and Eatery on North Wells just right after the Superior Street Bridge in the old Mouse House building around 10:30-11:00 (Gay Standard Time). Jim Simmerman will be giving a conciliatory speech and guest as well as long time patrons will be entertained with a string of performances by Fort Wayne's own nationally recognized Cher impersonator Latina Garrett and the grooves of erotic male performers Dakota and Nick from Michigan.

Before I get too overly emotional I will leave you with that basic info for right now and will write a memorial post later, probably tomorrow.

Thanks Jim and Pete for a great nine years!


[F6 Photo Credit: Bill In Exile]

Coming from another perspective: Things that happen at SnS at 3 a.m.

How much trouble can seven young adults get into at three in the morning without drinking alcohol? During our every other to three day get together last night at the now local blogosphere infamous Coldwater Road Steak~n~Shake, Ramblin Rosko (Harry), Homosef (Josef Holmes), and Caspian Greywolf (my brother, Curt), all decided to honor my request and give me some questions to answer for the F.A.Q.s part of F6's platform. I usually request questions from friends and family about every three months, and in true Fr. Fozy fashion attempt to answer them in an informative manner sometimes using myself as the guinea pig to prove the facts and queries or challenge common false perceptions and thought processes held in legend or myth.

A prime example is one of F6's first articles in its original old media forum several years ago. There was this one time I deep throat a smoked sausage for fifteen minutes to prove that *condoms don't taste bad but that the powdered latex comes off in the mouth and coats the inside; hence condoms don't taste bad but they make you feel numb on the inside of your mouth. They also make flavored and alternative fabric condoms to assist with any other hygienic, allergenic, or sensitivity issues.

[*EDITOR'S NOTE: Safe Sex Practices Advisory (see statement below too)]
One should always use condoms for all forms of penetration intercourse and
latex gloves and saran wrap for mutual play without penetration (rimming).

Ramblin' Rosko (aka, Harry) as a recent newcomer to Fort Wayne from New Orleans, Louisiana and Saint Paul, Minnesota questions have a unique innocence to them for not only is he still trying to figure out this new City but some how he has managed to become good friends with a segment of the gay community. One other note of humor and interest is that we are all watching as the "Curse of Fort Wayne" envelops him in this new adventure of his life. At the same point in time, we had a reverse statistic going on at SnS one other night as everyone was outside in the freezing ass cold to smoke thanks to the stupid ordinance revision by City Council last year we officially achieved a one in six straight versus gay ration, quite hilarious - you just had to be there, especially the look on Harry's face when it was pointed out.

Besides Steak~n~Shake what is your favorite hang out?

Well Harry that question has slight presuppositions, you see, SnS is not exactly one of my favorite hangouts to begin with. The reason I go to SnS is because my friends and end up there or start working there. Steak~n~Shake has the closest thing to an old style diner fountain shoppe atmosphere that one can find at three in the morning. I will say that I like the fact that the food is somewhat more affordable and I don't have to worry about my food allergies attacking since I know the cooks personally. The fact that I can say I know most of the staff by name and personality and it is almost like a large family (two beers short of being Cheers) and they know me, is what draws me back to SnS- it is almost like a virus. There is a sense of community there and that is what draws me to any establishment, common ground and friendships.

The only downside to eating at SnS is that a basic meal there takes my entire calorie intake for the day.

The Original Double Steakburger With Cheese Meal:
(info copied from Adrian):

Food	Calories	Protein(g)	Carbs(g)	Fat(g)	Saturated Fat(g)
Original Double with Cheese	580	32	29	38	16
French Fries, regular	472	4	62	23	5.5
Strawberry, large 1 shake	806	23	124	27	17.5
Deluxe Garden Salad 1 portion	226	13	10	15	9
Grand Total	2084	72	224	103	48

So you see Harry, I truly cant completely take in the entire Steak~n~Shake experience without serious ramifications to my health; but again, it isn't about the food it is about the community and the friendships. With all of that being stated beyond oblivion, the true nature of Fort Wayne hangouts aren't based on the services offered but the atmosphere provided; and with that in mind, here are some of my other favorite hangouts across the three rivers landscape: Powers Hamburgers, The Pointe Restaurant (Fort Wayne Truck Plaza), Jilly's Pub and Rich's Cafe (in New Haven), the (now closed) Hide~n~Seek's Leather & Levi Bar (on Sundays and Thursdays for karaoke), and El Azteca.

There will be more questions from Harry, Joe, and Curt being answered in the two weeks to follow. If you have a question that you would like answered on F6 with an informative yet sarcastic queer view pointe please send them to frfozybearftwin@gmail.com with the subject line starting with "F6 questions:...."

EDITOR'S STATEMENT OF POLICY:
F6 has and will continue to discuss at length and promote safe sex as well as challenge racial bias/prejudice in the gay community as the black hole and eye that it is to the fabric of our own hard fight for equality.