27 June 2000

Hello Spike,

I just want to let you and the club know how wonderful you made a first-timer feel. I enjoyed meeting all of you, and you made me feel very comfortable from the start at the Toolbox on Thursday night, till I got my last hug at the train station Monday afternoon.

I enjoyed handing out flyers at the booth on Pride Day, it was great fun talking with people, and I've never had my photo taken sooooo many times. I only wish I had spent more time at the booth--next year for sure. Being a new (old) kid, I didn't want to get in the way.

Getting to the parade was a bit rough, but thanks to Peter Gray, we managed to worm (snake?) our way in at Charles St. I suddenly found myself in the parade when not ten minutes earlier I wasn't even sure I wanted to be there, but it didn't take me long to get into it. People looked me in the eye, and gave a thumb's up. I could hear "OK", "ALRIGHT", many many times. I even heard "YOU GO GIRL" (GIRL ??) Not one negative word, not one dirty look. I even got a smile from a (female) cop at an intersection.

It was just about at the end of the parade when I took off my little black pouch, now I felt truly free, as people gathered around us for still more pictures, and when it was all over I even used a cop car to put my clothes on while I dressed.

The only negative thing in the whole parade was that my camera stopped working, because it had been hit too many times with water guns, so I didn't get as many pictures as I would have liked. (Note: don't hold camera at crotch level!)

One of our members was good enough to put me up in Toronto, Dwayne French. He has got to be on the list of the World's Nicest people. I was very lucky to have him as my host, and can't thank him enough.

I even found a little romance while there. (Miss you, Bruno.) Thanks again to all TNT!MEN for making my first time, The Best Time!

James