169

tripled. Hell, make it anything we like. The wilder
the better.” A

The debate lasted well into the night. By morning
the district leader had instructions to follow his
hunches. He smiled, “It’ll be the best and cheapest
campaign trick we’ve ever pulled.”

By noon that day the district leader had all the
operators of the gay bars on the phone, telling them
to spread the rumor. That afternoon he visited the
bars personally and talked to the bartenders. At five
he was sitting around the turkish baths repeating
what he now believed was the truth. That night he
talked to the entertainers. ’

Around San Francisco he went knockmg on the
doors of homosexuals who were on the various
police lists, suspected, arraigned, dismissed and
accused. To each he recited his little story.

Exactly as he figured, the phones buzzed from that
day on. Columnists began printing hints about the
big buzz. Merchants who thrived on out of town
visitors who liked the place because it was open,
free and easy began lining up So did the hotel
keepers.

The mayor literally just edged back into office by
a narrow margin of votes. Statisticians were able to
prove to the district leader’s satisfaction that the