Dramatization of Final Phone Conversation With Larry Gulian

I needed to confer with Garret Gray in order to develop the best possible strategy for the conference in light of the betrayal by the SWP and YSA. However, for the entire week after I spoke with Winston, Garret was not home, or not answering his phone. I tried phoning several times a day from the NGMC office and on the seventh day, Garret answered the phone. Just a week and a half before the conference and I was in panic mode. “Where the fuck have you been?” I shouted in exasperation. “I was starting to worry.”

Garret laughed. “Calm down. Everything here is under control.”

I was skeptical. “So you’ve posted all the flyers and put the ads in the gay papers?”

“What do you think? Come on, Dave. I’ve been doing this for years. You’re dealing with the state’s top organizer.”

I paused a moment, then laughed. “You’re great, Garret. No matter how bummed out I am, you make it all seem worthwhile.”

“That’s what we’re here for,” he replied. “So what’s bumming you out?”

“Here goes,” I began. “Let’s see if you can maintain such a positive attitude after I give you all the bad news.”

“I’m all ears.”

“New York GAA and most of the groups in D.C. refuse to endorse. For them, the world ends at the Hudson or the Potomac. They don’t have an inkling of how difficult it is for gays to fight on the local or state level in most of the country.”

“So what else is new?” said Garret. “How are the SWP and YSA going to build the conference?”

“It’s pathetic,” I said. “They have ordered all members to refrain from building the conference. Attendance is forbidden.”

Garret was silent for a few moments. “What about you?” he asked.

“I’m the only one they haven’t spoken to. I guess they want to see what kind of base among gays exists for a march, before they get involved.”

“Very interesting,” Garret said slowly.

"Let’s not forget the good news. Almost every campus group and church group in the country has endorsed the conference. So have most activist groups outside of New York and Washington. Hey, and since I last spoke with you, Allan Ginsberg endorsed and…”

“I’m not worried,” interrupted Garret.

Anyway,” I said, “In the worst case, we can use the conference to build the march on Springfield. People from other states can caucus and start the ball rolling for marches in their own states…So how many buses from Chicago? I need numbers. Housing has to be arranged as soon as possible."

"There is a lot of excitement in Chicago about the conference, but I don't have any numbers for you yet. I'll have to get back to you next week."

"Well, give me a ball park, at least. Otherwise they'll be stuck in motels. That could be a financial problem for some people."

"Most of them would probably prefer a motel. I'll get back to you. Bye." Garret hung up so quickly, I could not get in another word.

I thought that was very odd as I stared at the black phone receiver, shrugged and replaced it in its cradle. As it turned out, Garret Gray would never call back.