Neon sign. Rainbow flags. Beer endorsement. Pride sign. Big picture window onto Christopher Street. Hmmm. That's not the way I remember the Stonewall when I used to go there with my friend Nick back before the 1969 riots. It was thrilling and dangerous and creepy then. Clearly mob-run. On more than a few occasions, all of the overhead lights would come on, the bartenders would take the cash trays out of the registers and quickly scoot out the back door. Then the cops would come in just to intimidate, to check to see if men were dancing with each other...as Nick and I nonchalantly (right!) made for the front door, hoping we'd be able to just walk away. Dancing? To give you an idea of what that was like, even now when we pass the place, Nick will remind me of something I always said on our way in: "Hold my glasses."
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