Member-only story
The Time I Took Gloria Swanson’s Sixth Husband to a Gay Bathhouse
A story of intergenerational bonding featuring Billie Holiday, Norma Desmond, and William Dufty VI
In the shadowy realm of the jacuzzi in the wet area of Steamworks Chicago, the moody lighting casts a mysterious glow, intermittently cloaked by the ghostly dance of steam. A momentary opening in the myst reveals a white-haired octogenarian, his face alight with a beatific smile. Around him, the silhouettes of muscular, godlike naked figures emerge and vanish like apparitions, moving through the steam-shrouded space with fluid grace — on their way to more carnal pleasures.
Yet the 82-year-old William Dufty remains. There is a childlike wonder on his face, a testament to the joy and surprise of new experiences, regardless of age. His eyes, seasoned with the wisdom of years, sparkle with delight and curiosity.
Beside him sits William Thibodeau, a handsome 44-year-old who goes by Bill to avoid the double-William confusion. Despite being total DILF material — someone who could easily have hours of hedonistic pleasure in this gay wonderland — he is attentive and caring, watching over William with a protective gaze as I stand naked in the water in front of them.
