By Paul Varnell

Contributing writer

This will be my last column for the Chicago Free Press. The publisher has decreed that as part of ongoing cost-cutting measures my column is being canceled. I regret this decision, of course, but I am not unaware that the economic downturn has had adverse effects on the mainstream and the gay press. As Kurt Vonnegut wrote, “So it goes.”

No column is written entirely alone. Over 20 years of writing for the Windy City Times and the Chicago Free Press, I have incurred many debts. So now is the time to thank the many people in the gay community and mainstream press who kindly provided support, counsel, thoughtful disagreement and—especially—proofreading for me. I could name some but where would I stop? Thank you all.

My goal in writing has from the beginning been to provide independent-minded commentary designed to stimulate readers to think outside the box, to reconsider their views. Oddly, not the least of the benefits of writing is that sometimes it forced me to reconsider my own views. No publisher or editor ever told me what to write about, and for that independence I am grateful.

I leave, as one inevitably does, unfinished business. Writing about art—and gay artists—forced me to learn much more than I knew before about art and art history so I could share that information with readers. In going to art galleries, I discovered several artists of unusual talent and merit and tried to promote their work. There are others I will not now be able to publicize.

In the occasional small-business stories (Sidetrack, Unabridged Books, Windy City Sweets) I hoped to prompt readers to see the importance of gay business to the development and functioning of the community. These businesses do not just pop into existence by spontaneous generation. They take considerable effort and planning (and no little courage) by gay entrepreneurs. Readers need to understand that. I regret that other business stories I had planned (Sheldon Harrison’s leather store, Todd Mack’s framing shops, a dozen others) will not now get written.

Not everything I tried was a success. The group of amateur gay musicians I proposed did not generate as much interest as I hoped, but the idea of a gay artists group did start off well and continues to kind of sputter along.

Perhaps they only needed other shot of adrenaline. I did have a couple of other community development proposals. The idea in each case was to propose groups that would get people together, to make new friends, to solidify community ties and enrich the community. But those stories will not now get written. So it goes.

While I will not have an outlet for my writing, a few of my pieces may be posted at the Independent Gay Forum web site (www.indegayforum.org). Even if my writing is not often there, readers may find other writers of interest.

I value the many friends I made in the process of writing and researching my pieces. I will not disappear off the face of the earth. I hope to run into some of you when I am out and about in the community. Please say hello.

Strictly personal: I met a charming woman in physical therapy sessions at the nursing home named Connie Preston. Will her son please call or email me to let me know how she is doing?

Comment to Pvarnell@aol.com