Cafe a Go-Gone

Café a Go-Go was a half a block from my door. Every Sunday I sauntered down the hill to meet other Radical Faeries there, at Faerie Coffee, between 11 and 1. Usually not many showed up. On a typical day there were four or five of us: myself, Aunty Tinkerbell, Pure Heart, Raspberry Showboat, Rainbow Strongheart and, on alternating or occasional Sundays, Danzante Caldera, Gerry, Stitch, Holly and perhaps an out of town guest.

Sometimes, during bad weather, when there was an event that blocked the streets downtown (a marathon race or Santa Claus Parade) or when there was another distraction (Ravenna Ravine in Seattle, which is held on Beltane, or the Easter gathering at Crow Dog and Robin Hood's on Salt Spring Island, to which I was not invited) I would be the only Fae who showed up at the café. Being only half a block away it was too convenient and too much of a worry for others if I didn't show up.

On those days especially, I had excellent opportunity to chat with Raj, the owner. Raj is from Sri Lanka, a 30-something with a wife and a newborn daughter. Handsome is a way, except for his buck teeth. When Faeriebud originally recreated Faerie Coffee at the café, it was owned by Scot, a gay, middle-aged loner who welcomed us but rarely interacted with us. We all worried where we'd have to relocate when he decided to sell, but Raj was eager to keep us coming and totally comfortable with our nonconformity. When we were alone I talked with him about every subject we could think of: politics, the economy, interior decorating for the café, gay life, men I have dated, his little daughter, living in Vancouver and Canada, etc.

But the Olympics were a bad turn for him. They frightened away most of his clientele and they didn't come back to their original numbers after the Games. His business also suffered with new cafes and chain stores opening around him and then I suppose the final straw was learning that his City taxes would double in August, another side effect of the Olympics. Two weeks ago he announced to us that he had sold the business and five days ago he was gone for good.

In the meantime, I decided for the group that we would meet at the Bread Garden, 100m up the street. Having made the announcement I felt obliged to set off last Sunday morning to hold fort. I was a tad late and met Rainbow leaving the place, having just given up on the rest of us. He followed me back in and nested in the back corner where there were two black vinyl love seats set away from the rigid array of cheap chrome and black vinyl stacking chairs and matching tables. A few minutes later Holly joined us.

The Bread Garden has the sterile atmosphere of a new chain store, designed, I suppose, to be safe for straight couples and nuclear families. There were a few of those passing through but none of them seemed perturbed by Holly's flowing, flowed dress, velour purple vest and fez (his gay Sufi look). Still, it felt strange and a bit uncomfortable, the cookie cutter baristas and the food boring and overly sweet. I think it would be better to hold Faerie Coffee in an independent coffee house with more character and less conformity.

Café a Go-Go is now owned by a Japanese/Korean couple. They plan to convert it to a milk bar --"Holy Calcium, Batman!" We'll need to check that out when it opens in two weeks.