The Dance Floor and the Booth Part 4: What an End! Happy Tails to the Dance Floor/Booth Mini-Series!

By Will Seagers

Hi folks! Will here! With a title like that, you know I'm headed for uncharted territories... but parts well known! Tee hee hee!

For the most part, I have left a lot of my own personal sexual life out of these blogs. BUTT, there is a time and a place for everything. This last installment has to do with my meeting, having a torrid summer affair with and ultimately working for a lovely gentleman and friend named Michael.

The year was 1978. It was the third and final year of my working at The Boatel in the Pines, Fire Island. I started early in the season. I had to get the pool and accompanying bar and deck in order as I was the lifeguard, bartender and food server. I shouldn't leave out the "new poolside gym" that I created under one of the tents in my domain. John Whyte, the owner and my boss just left me a pile of weights and dumbbells and said, "See what you can do with this!"

Although my days were filled with activity, I always had a nice workout followed by a swim. I think it was the best shape that I was ever in. Of course, after dinner and a "disco nap," I would head back down to the marina to The Sandpiper for drinks and the great music of Robbie Leslie.

It was here one night that I caught my first glimpse of Michael. He was working in the Sandpiper Restaurant as a waiter for the summer. We locked gazes and drifted toward each other on that lovely hardwood dance floor. With his being medium in height and stature, I wrapped myself around him, literally having sex on the dance floor. I, being taller, got to see his full head of beautiful sandy blond hair that was streaked with lighter shades due to his afternoons at the beach. His body was firm and muscular. Butt, butt, butt I don't remember ever seeing a more appealing ass. Now, mind you, this was at the bar with our clothes on!

After drinks and dancing, we literally fled to his place to shed our clothes and get down to business. I was pleased that amid all of this heat and passion he managed to remain a gentleman. He sort of cooled my jets and made me slow down so we could enjoy all of the passion of foreplay. At one point, I was actually trembling with anticipation. Then the clothes were shed!

My imagination was not good enough to compete with just how beautiful he was - especially his butt! I poured myself all over him, stopping to lick and playfully bite that ass. One of the things that I found extraordinarily sexy about his butt was a fairly large scar squarely in the middle of his right cheek. It was like a birth or beauty mark. I was not bothered by the scar in the least. It was his trademark!

All of this took place right after Memorial Day. So, the season was young. Although we didn't really have a formal relationship, we sure did become regular fuck buddies. Throughout the rest of the summer, we enjoyed many encounters. In late August when he was getting ready to leave, we had the heartbreak of not knowing whether we would meet again. Like I said, it had been a casual and comfortable affair. But, that would not be the last I would see of Michael.

That fall, I came back to San Francisco to start up the other part of my bi-coastal life. It was a wonderful life that I could hardly believe I was living! This time, I found out that I was not the only one to leave the Pines and come to San Francisco. In October, I received a party invitation from none other than Michael! I was really surprised, and pleasantly so. He had never mentioned to me that he was headed west after the season on The Island.

The party was an outdoor event held in his backyard in the Duboce Triangle neighborhood just below The Castro. It was a great gathering with a live DJ, dancing, food and drinks! It turned out that the DJ was Vincent Carleo, a good friend who originally came from NYC to SF to open Trocadero Transfer. Michael was with a new beau, so we couldn't pick up where we left off! (Wink, wink.)

It was at this party that Michael told me his intentions to open a new and major dance club. He soon found out that I was well connected with the party scene in S.F. We frequently gathered at my tiny apartment on 10th St. near Mission to have meetings and bring investors into the picture. It didn't take many people to fill my living room. But, that's where we gathered. My mirror-topped coffee table was where the blueprints were laid out (as well as many lines of "party favors!").

Dreamland was the name of the project. And, it came together very quickly once sufficient funds were acquired. It was a unique showplace, all white with arches and walkways that reminded me of an Italian piazza. It opened to great acclaim and fanfare. I remember the very first night and the very first tune: "The Land of Make Believe" by Chuck Mangione. The huge five-foot mirror ball was resting in a static position right in the middle of the dance floor. Although I was hired to be a light man, my first night was as an usher to protect the mirror ball from overzealous attendees. As the music started, so did the mirror ball, slowly starting to spin and then rising to the lofty two-story height of the ceiling. The lighting and music were fantastic and the crowd reveled!

The next night, I worked the lights. It was a whole weekend extravaganza! The club was a success. It should be mentioned that it was one of only a handful of Graebar Sound Systems... one of two on the West Coast. The others were at clubs like 12 West and, of course, The Blue Whale (Boatel) on Fire Island.

I did finally make my transition from light man to DJ at Dreamland with the help of its owner, Michael. My friend Roy, the main light man, had given Michael several cassettes of my recent music. I had a business where I made tapes for individuals, bars and restaurants. Michael thrilled me with the request of playing Easter Sunday Tea Dance 1980!

Although I had played several at large parties like the gym opening I mentioned in chapter two of this series, I had never played a huge dance floor like Dreamland. For over two weeks, I had assembled my very favorite tunes and ones that I thought the crowd would like. Regardless of practice, I was still a nervous wreck. Then, the fun began! There was a huge line to the booth to give me "party favors" to help me over my "nerves!" LOL. One friend slipped me a rather large green football-shaped capsule (a Placidyl)... and, that's all I remembered. The crowd yelled and screamed with joy over my selections (and my terrible mixing!). The mixing didn't seem to matter much to the crowd, as I was slamming them with hard hitting dance anthems! After the dust had settled, I was hired for tea dances. It was a helluva place for a debut! But, I guess the stars were in my favor!

From there, I moved to play in the Castro district - first at the Phoenix, then at The Badlands and finally at Moby Dick Bar. I loved those six years. I could hardly call it work - having a great time with exceptional people at the crossroads of the Gay World! So, in keeping with the season, I give "thanks" for the wonderful adventure that I call my life!

Bio of Will Seagers:

Will Seagers (also credited as Matt Harper), within his multifaceted careers and participation in numerous gay communities across the country in the '70s and '80s and beyond, worked as a print model, film performer, and DJ, just to name a few. He made iconic appearances in releases from Falcon, Hand in Hand, Joe Gage, Target (Bullet), J. Brian, Steve Scott, and more, including in lead roles in major classics like Gage's L.A. Tool & Die (1979) and Scott's Wanted (1980). He brought strong screen presence and exceptional acting to his roles and was scene partners with many fellow legends of classic porn.

Will Seagers, recent photo