Bear Rex
as a Cub Rex
There was never a time when I can say that I felt heterosexual. My memory goes as far back as two years of age. I was always fascinated by men's bodies.
At age five we were stationed in Germany with my Dad who was in the U.S. Army. When my older sisters dated they sometimes went with enlisted men from the same army base as my dad. I loved to be held in their laps and nap there while we traveled on weekend trips.
Passport Photo
Age 4 years
A typical Lap Nap.
I can't remember the soldiers' name.
What does the expression on my face tell you?
My father was a sort of "Great Santini" abusive person. My mother was my refuge and she was my life. Her influence was absolute. She was a school teacher and much more educated than my father. She would plan trips throughout Europe and on long weekends we would drive to Rome or Paris or Florence. The routes were sometimes too creative, like the time we were stranded in the Swiss Alps at midnight. But the things and places that I was exposed to, wow, and at such an early age. I can't help but believe this had a profound effect on my development as an artist.
MISS THANG!
Was there ever really any doubt?
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Can you imagine Europe in 1954? The film director David Lean captured this atmosphere in his movie, "Summertime" with Katherine Hepburn.
Florence, Italy was my favorite.
Florence, Italy
Ahh the SCULPTURE !
Somebody back then was in the closet big time
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The Late 50's
We were in living Germany one week and in Barstow, California the next!
Back in the good ole USA.
My Dad decided to change branches of the service, so for the last ten years of his career we were Air Force. Coming home felt good but we were sent to some God awful places sometimes, like Barstow, California. It's just outside of Death Valley on the nowhere side of the desert.
1958 on Mount Lemmon above Tuscon, Arizona. Now I had a brother and baby sister.
Tuscon, Arizona was nice. Dad was always the entrepreneur. He made a deal with a guy that owned a pecan orchard right on the old Benson Highway (US 80) and they turned it into a trailer park called Gem of the Desert. It's gone now, the back half is under the new freeway and the front pecan trees were cleared for the Howard Johnson's motel. But the park had a central bath and restroom facility where I discovered many more of life's wonders.
Looking back I had many opportunities for sexual experimentation but my desire to be a good boy didn't allow me the adventures. Now, at this moment, I couldn't care less about the opinions of others. I guess that's just growing up.
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