Oh, goddess, where to start...
About a year and a half ago I happened to stumble upon a website of a guy who is fascinated with Charles Manson. Of course I started scrolling through it. And then a picture came up and I damned near shit. It was Rosie and "Jay". Rosie was Charlie's first wife and Jay was their son. I knew them both. Hell, I worked side by side with them. In of all places, Mt. Vernon Illinois at a Holiday Inn back in the late 1970's. I was the Chinese cook, Rosie was a waitress, Jay was there short term just visiting. The connection came through Rosie's step son, Kevin, who I quickly became friends with. He was a junior in high school and I was 23 and we all worked together. Can you say Charlie Manson's first wife??? Life never fails to deal me a strange hand of cards... I love that. I would have it no other way.
So, I put a post on the site telling about having known Rosie and Jay. BTW, his name at the time was Charles Manson Jr. That certainly must have been a heavy brick to drag around. From the website I learned that he legally changed his name, moved to Colorado, got married and then took his own life in 1993 on a lonely deserted road. But enough on that.
Kevin and I became very good friends. His gaydar was spot on. He nailed me within seconds. I was the first person that he came out to. I was impressed with his courage. That was a pretty ballsy act in Mt. Vernon back in 1978. About 4 months later Rosie walked up to me at work, threw her arms around me, gave me a wonderful bear hug and just said "I'm fine with this, take care of him". I damned near fell into a wok. Rosie was way too cool for words.
I taught Kevin how to drink tequila. And let him sleep on my sofa way too many times to count. He was a dear friend. Hell, he was like a baby sister to me. From Mt. Vernon he moved to Waco, Texas and I moved to Minneapolis but we still stayed in contact over the phone. In 1982 we hooked up together in Dallas for a week and partied our brains out. Good times. That was the last time I saw him face to face. In 1986 I moved to Portland, OR. He didn't know my phone number and his was disconnected so our contact ended.
Three days ago I get an email that blew me out of the water. It was from a classmate of his who had managed to stumble across the same website and read my post. I remembered her. She and Kevin were very good friends. When she asked if I was the same guy that bought her the bottle of schnapps because she was under age I knew it was legit. The two of us have been exchanging emails wildly. She has filled me in on what happened to Kevin. He is no longer with us. He spiraled wildly out of control mainlining speed. Apparently if you could smoke it, snort it or inject it Kevin was first in line. She told me that he only gave up speed when he ran out of veins to use. My jaw hit the floor. Unfortunately by then it was too late, he was already HIV+ and on his way out the door. She is a Registered Nurse and helped care for Kevin during his final days back in 1993. It was a history that I did not want to hear but she gave me answers to questions I desperately needed answered. I hold this woman in the highest regard for sticking by a train wreck and remaining loyal. I just can't thank her enough for the info much as I did not want to hear it but to be able to hook up with Kevin again after 28 years is a delicious gift. goddess damned delicious!!! She has given me back wondrous memories I had forgotten about. I am both blessed and gobsmacked...
Kevin, I hope that you are tap dancing on stars!!!
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