Wih Devine and John Waters being daily encounters in Fell's Point(my past neighborhood in Baltimore,Md.)either at the Broadway Market or over the phone,I truly know all about what the gay word"queen"is all about.
Devine would call me early saturday morning sometimes 3AM !!!She'd sound frantic wanting to run the allies behind the row houses in town to go trash hunting.She'd meet me and we'd drive all through the allies and find treasures.She'd grab the women's clothes and I'd grab the appliances.other times,we'd go to either the old Edmondson Village flea market at he old Edmondson Village drive-in theater on Rt.40 west or hit the Disabled American Veteren's stores on North ave.or the one in West Baltimore.
After our triumphant digging and searching,we'd take everything either to my place or the thrift store she and Edith Massy (another star in some of John Water's movies.She played the Egg Lady in one)ran for years to sort throgh everything and take whatever needed to be laundered to the Fell's Point Licensed Westinghouse Laundromat on Fleet St.There,they had the true Laundromat washers and drycleaning machines.We'd then catch a buz and go to the Hollywood bar up Broadway and have a few "slippery nipples"then shoot a few games of pool.
It never failed.When Devine had had a few "nipples"or smoked a "doobee",she was lit and ready to read anyone who dared to come into her path.This older tramp came in for a beer and she read him deep!He was dressed like a cowboy in all acrilic,double knit clothes including a plaid shir with double pockets,a white hat and cheap fake aligator boots.By the time Devine was finished wih him,he squirmed out like a snake and nobody ever saw him again!Such a true queen,what a sad story about her death.
Devine had two words for those who were either truly ugly"Brick!"or not real fasion consious"Wilber!"She'd scream it to them loud enough to get everyone's attention.