With Cecil, it wasn't quite that way. We were going to the University of Washington together and often met for coffee at the student union building cafeteria. With dozens if not hundreds of people around and several people at the same table, I've seen him fall asleep with his chin in his coffee cup.

I was surprised that he was that apprehensive about Tony. Tony was definitely gay, but he played it for all it was worth. He worked every stereotype. I'm pretty sure it was an attention-getting device. Of course, it could get him punched out, and on more than one occasion, a couple of guys would jump him and beat him up just for the hell of it.

I thought he was a real snort! Over the top! Sometimes he and I would do off-the-cuff jokes, mainly to shock and horrify people in the vicinity. Once we were sitting in a booth in a coffee shop near the university. There were five of us at the table. I was in an inner corner and Tony had pulled up a chair and was sitting at the end of the table.

At one point, Tony said, "Don, would you pass me a napkin?"

I reached for the napkin dispenser, and—the devil made me do it. I asked him, "Super, regular, or junior?"

Everybody's chin hit the table. Tony looked at me with a smirk and said, "Oh, Donnie, you are such a bitch sometimes."

All in good fun, but the rest of the people didn't know it.

Don Firth