Graham, Bona Clone
- Title
- Graham, Bona Clone
- Contributor
- Harry Hillery
- Format
- jpg
- Type
- jpg
- Creator
- Glenn Stevens
- Language
- English
- Rights
- Attribution - Non Commercial - Share Alike 4.0 International License
Description:
When I visited Brighton in 1986, I went to The Pink Coconut on Sunday with my mate Trevor. When the club had shut, I followed my nose to the nearest cruising spot in town and quickly became acquainted with a guy called Graham, (Bona Clone to his friends) He was everything I had fancied, big moustache, leather chaps, 501’s leather jacket, poppers and a cheeky smile. I went back with Graham and had such a great time I decided Brighton was where I would like to live. Within a week I was back staying on Trevor’s floor. On one of my nights out I went to the club called Manhattan’s where I met Graham once again. He worked there serving drinks from an alcove bar with walls covered in pictures of 80’s style clones. With a wry smile Graham told me his bar was the most popular in the club and seeing him there in just leather waistcoat and jeans, I could see why.
On Graham’s invitation, I moved in with him. Our relationship burnt bright and short, but a lovely connection was made between us.
I’d see Graham on the scene all the time, and one day he came over and said he’d been diagnosed HIV+. He was the first person I knew to tell me this. Back then, AIDS was still something that happened across the pond, then London and then all too quickly, Brighton. I’d not seen Graham for about six months, when I bumped into him on Brighton pier, and we had a lovely catch up. He looked great in ripped 501’s and white t-shirt, with the same smile, but then a few weeks later I heard he was in hospital with AIDS. I visited him just the once, and he was unable to speak, but I am glad I had the chance to say goodbye. What I am so pleased about is through the Brighton AIDS Memorial Project I can celebrate Graham and remind everyone of what a lovely person he was, Bona Clone a lot of the time, Bona Moan on others, but always and forever, lovely Graham.
On Graham’s invitation, I moved in with him. Our relationship burnt bright and short, but a lovely connection was made between us.
I’d see Graham on the scene all the time, and one day he came over and said he’d been diagnosed HIV+. He was the first person I knew to tell me this. Back then, AIDS was still something that happened across the pond, then London and then all too quickly, Brighton. I’d not seen Graham for about six months, when I bumped into him on Brighton pier, and we had a lovely catch up. He looked great in ripped 501’s and white t-shirt, with the same smile, but then a few weeks later I heard he was in hospital with AIDS. I visited him just the once, and he was unable to speak, but I am glad I had the chance to say goodbye. What I am so pleased about is through the Brighton AIDS Memorial Project I can celebrate Graham and remind everyone of what a lovely person he was, Bona Clone a lot of the time, Bona Moan on others, but always and forever, lovely Graham.
Graham, Bona Clone
