One of the most wonderful blessings bestowed upon me was when Betty Ann and Meg bought the house next door to us. Betty Ann was like Auntie Mame and Miss Meg was like Vera Charles, but she was the kindest friend to all of us, even my little 6 year old sister. We would go over there in the afternoon and watch Perry Mason with her. I would drive her to Happy Herman's. I never had to come out because my picture was next to "homosexual" in the dictionary. When The Boys in the Band stage play come to Atlanta and briefly, before the bluenoses made a fuss, played at the Memorial Arts Center, they bought a ticket for me to go with them. We had dinner at the House of Eng at 10th & Peachtree Sts. I remember them saying we had to cook up a story for my parents for where we were going. Betty Ann suggested we tell them we went to see Patton, but I said that would not work because daddy knew too much about all of that. They were angels in disguise sent to help me and provide fun for me and my siblings. My family had many friends in the medical and education professions and through Betty Ann, we had LGBT members of the medical and other professions and they were great role models as opposed to the people my age who were students and others who had not yet arrived at professional status.
They had avocado Frigidaire appliances: Compact 30 range & Deluxe dishwasher which came with the house and a bottom freezer refrigerator and a deluxe Washer and Dryer, mostly only used by the cleaning lady and once by me for some reason. Meg was amazed that I knew how to use the washer and dryer since she didn't and, on the day after Thanksgiving, knew how to load even the roaster in the dishwasher.
