The Carter/Johnson Leather Library visits Baltimore at the G.L.C.C.B.

Cleaning Mama Vi Johnson's new gift - Dehner's!

May 10-12, 2013

I worked as a bootblack within the Carter/Johnson Leather Library this weekend and had an awesome time.  It always feels so right being a bootblack inside of the Library, next to the Bootblack display, as if I am an intimate part of the history that has happened/is happening in the Leather community.  I traded shine time with Raquel (Mid-Atlantic Community Bootblack 2012) so we could both enjoy the Library during our off times, as well as attending the roundtables that were held on Saturday.  Raquel attended the Sir/boy Roundtable hosted by Sir John Krikorian (Mid-Atlantic LeatherSir 2010 and 2011) and I attended the Leatherwomen's Roundtable hosted by Toni Solenne (Mid-Atlantic Leatherwoman 2012).  I do believe that the highlight of the weekend for me was working on Mama Vi Johnson's new gift from Tracy Black -- a pair of cordovan Dehners that were custom made! And on Saturday, Sir Robert Bowden was announced as Mid-Atlantic LeatherSir 2013.  The 2013 Mid-Atlantic Leather family is now complete and ready to compete in Dallas TX.  The rain that fell throughout the weekend could not dampen the joy at having the Library in Baltimore for all to come out and enjoy.

Cleaning boots within the Leather Library.

Taking a cherry!

Explaining how boots are cleaned.

Tracy Black donates her "license plate" as Mid-Atlantic Bootblack 1999 to the Library

Leo Mason (Mid-Atlantic Bootblack 2011), Sir Loki (Central Plains Bootblack 2012), and me.

Sir Robert Bowden receives his title, Mid-Atlantic LeatherSir 2013!

The Journey Begins - A blind girl wins a title

March 19, 2013:

I am writing this to chronicle my journey as a titleholder.   On March 16, 2013, at the Chesapeake Leather Awareness and Pride contest, I won the title of Mid-Atlantic Community Bootblack 2013.  I was stunned when Sir Hooker said that I was going to Dallas, Texas to compete at ILS/b-ICBB.  I know I had worked hard to prepare for the contest, including working on my technical skills, as well as completing the book I had been working on for the past three years on being a bootblack and the history of bootblacks.  Friday's open shine was easy for me after Boy Bamm Bamm sat in my chair and talked to me about the contest, helping me relax into a known situation, a person in my chair needing his boots to look nice for the weekend.

Sashes and Patches

The 2013 Mid-Atlantic Titleholder Family (Me, Nina Love, and Boy Quinton)

 Saturday was the interview and technical boot.  I found the questions by the judges to be nothing like the ones I had practiced so hard to learn the answers to but I think I answered well.  I was a bit nervous at first and I tried to remember that the judges were familiar with my technical skills through my work in the Leather community.  My work on the technical boot felt really easy and I finished early.  The speech was the hardest part of the contest for me and I worried that I would either fall on my face getting onto the stage or forget everything I had written down and end up staring at the crowd in horror.  Fortunately, when I opened my mouth, the words just flowed out and, afterwards, several people said I had not only made them laugh but also moved them to tears.

Sunday was Kinky Karnival at the Triple L, hosted by the Maryland Boys of Leather and F.I.S.T.  Nina Love and I were there, helping to raise funds for the Family Travel Fund.  We had fun being "arrested"; me for being a "service slut" and Nina for being a "beautiful fucking flower."