As Al finished his thought about Christmas 1948, he noticed a crowd had gathered at Page Turner Books located diagonally across the street. Thomas Page and William Turner had been partners at a prestigious law firm downtown. After spending eighty-fours hours a week together for twenty years, both realized that they loved each other. Thomas Page left his wife, a great-granddaughter of Seymour Taft. The Taft family, led by Seymour, built up the city in the early 1900s, made their fortunes from real estate, textiles, and machinery, and have dominated city politics and business for over a hundred years. When Thomas Page left Patricia Taft in 2012, the Taft family threatened to pull their business from Page’s and Turner’s firm if the two lovers didn’t leave. The other seven partners of the firm voted to buy out Page’s and Turner’s shares, forcing them out. Page and Turner decided to use their buyout money to open Page Turner Books. Both men found humor in their business’s name, and the fact that it is located in Taft Square. Their location gave them a way to give a passive-aggressive middle finger to the Taft family.
People credit Page Turner Books as the anchor that started the revitalization of Taft Square. Both men found a niche in a market dominated by corporate and online bookstores. They earned a reputation as being very personable to customers, making patrons feel comfortable asking for LGBTQIA+ books. Their erotica section became a mecca for the region when people wanted E.L. James Fifty Shades of Grey read-alikes. Their Ask the Sexpert
talks featuring sex experts every third Thursday of the month attracted many people seeking advice to improve their sex life. Other businesses soon followed Page Turner Books into the neighborhood, turning Taft Square into a vibrant place to be.
Al met Thomas and William just after the two men signed the lease for their bookstore space. Both men came into Al’s store, dressed in what looked to be very fancy business suits, with Thomas dressed in a navy blue suit, solid blue tie, and a white shirt with a finely pressed collar. William had a charcoal gray suit, solid charcoal gray tie, and also had a white shirt with a finely pressed collar. Both men looked very stoic, business-like, very tall, hoovering a few inches above Al, who was 5’10 at the time and shrinking due to age. Both spoke with commanding, masculine voices, showing that they are take-charge kind of guys, Yet it wasn’t done in a threatening manner because they smiled with their eyes. Al pegged them to be middle aged. Thomas had what looked like full but dyed dark black hair combed back, with crows feet around his brown eyes. William had slick bleach blond hair, albeit receding, with age lines at his forehead, around his blue eyes, and at the end of his lips. Both questioned Al thoroughly about the proper way to anchor bookshelves. They sought tips for making their drafty storefront energy efficient. Al assumed both men were straight. Their initial vibe was white Anglo-Saxon Protestant conservative types. Al didn’t realize both men were a married couple until their fourth consecutive daily visit to the store when Al asked them about their wives.
I left my wife a year ago,
said Thomas in a deep voice. I left her for blondee here,
pointing his right thumb, in hitchhiker fashion, towards William.
I’ve always been openly gay,
said William as he wrapped his left arm around Thomas’s shoulders. so I never had a wife. It took me almost twenty years to pull Thomas out of the closet.
Ohhh,
Al said almost silently. The two men could barely hear him but saw Al’s lips form an O
as his chin tilted up and the top of his head titled back, then came down. Al’s face turned red. So, you’re married to each other?
asked Al pointing to the identical solid gold wedding rings on each man’s finger.
William smiled at Al. Is this the first time you’ve met gay men?
Al could feel more heat flowing to his cheeks. Yes, it is. We just don’t see it that much in this part of the city.
Be prepared Al,
said Thomas. You’ll see us and many others quite frequently. The invasion is coming!
he exclaimed in a triumphant tone, with clenched fists raised above his head.
Don’t worry Al,
said William. We’re not going to turn this place into P-Town,
making a reference to Provincetown, Massachusetts, a Cape Cod town known for being a safe haven for LGBTQIA+ lifestyles. He gave Al a wink as both men left the store.
Al became more comfortable with Page and Turner as they came in frequently during their transformation of a former auto parts store into a bookstore. A day before their grand opening, both men came into the store dressed in identical red and blue plaid casual button-down shirts and tan slacks, all finely pressed. Finely-pressed clothing suited any description Al had for their clothing.
We appreciate all your help Al,
said Thomas smiling mischievously. We brought your something.
He placed at the center of the red Formica counter, where a white splotch had formed after fifty years of customers placing purchases on the same spot, a book. The title read Sex for Seniors: Rediscovering Your Sexual Desires. Al’s face turned red.
You told us the other day you were once a lady’s man.
said William. Read the book, get some little blue pills, and get back out there!
commanded William and pointed to the door. All three men laughed heartily.
Page and Turner came in less frequently after their store launched. The last time Thomas Page came in, Al had heard that the duo were opening a children’s section in their bookstore with a monthly drag queen story time. Al questioned Thomas about the decision.
Do you feel that it’s right to have sex books and kid’s books together?
asked Al with a touch of hostility.
They’ll be in separate rooms. Parents can browse for erotica while kids browse safely in a separate room. Each section is at opposite ends of the store,
said Thomas in a confident, matter-of-fact tone.
Why are you having drag queens read stories to kids?
asked Al, still possessing some tension in his tone.
To open up peoples minds. To show kids at an early age that people in drag are not scary. Drag queens are the most gentile people I’ve encountered. They’re not going to read anything inappropriate and raunchy to the kids. The kids will be safe.
Thomas said firmly. They are just there so that parents who choose to do so can bring their children to an inclusive environment where all are welcome despite their appearance.
Al took a moment to process the answer. The tension in his body left as he exhaled loudly. I now understand. Thank you for explaining that to me,
said Al humbly.
As Al recalled that conversation, he was looking at two large men, dressed in camouflage clothing, hard hats, and a mask covering their faces. Both men were holding huge military assault riffles across their chests, each towering others by standing in a threatening manner on two granite benches in front of the bookstore. Below them were several people with signs that Al couldn’t read from his location. However, he knew these Nazi troopers were protesting the drag queen story hour.
©2023 Tim Sheehan