It's Woodstock, 1969, and Laramie Pruitt is anxious to feel some peace and love after the recent Stonewall riots in his hometown. While he's grooving to some great music at the festival, Laramie meets a handsome young man named Sullivan “Sully” Conyers. They get along well together, and Sully even tolerates Laramie's tendency to get on his soapbox about social issues and Big Brother. When Laramie learns that Sully is gay, it leads to a tryst later that night and clandestine kisses under Sully's tarp during a rainstorm. Things are great, but as always, Laramie's mouth gets him into trouble, and drives Sully away. Laramie knows he was wrong, but in a sea of half a million people, how is he supposed to find Sully and apologize? Thankfully, Laramie finds Sully on the last day of the event and he gets a second chance at love.

Woodstock Gave Me You

“Me? I work at a local paper in Greenwich Village. It’s kind of an underground rag, but it pays well enough. I do the editing and the political cartoon of the day.”


Sully slapped the blanket with the palm of his hand. “I knew you were smart! You have that look about you.”


He grinned. “It’s your blush. I love to see it.”


I closed my eyes briefly. “You’re so mean to me.”


Around us, the crowd grew louder and louder, so we could talk about anything we wanted to, and not be overheard.


“So, tell me about the sweetheart you mentioned,” I said.


He turned to lie on his back. “Trace Dreck. He was a looker, too. A real doll. Too bad all he wanted to do was screw around. I wanted more, you know? Not just sex. I think that men can have intimate relationships with men. It’s been done—still is—even if it’s been in the shadows.”


Chapter 9