WTF?!?

Keep Austin Weird...This is the slogan of the city in which I live.…I don't know what it is about this place, but I like it. Most people know of 6th St and the Wharehouse district, which gained even more notoriety when the Real World came to town. Austin is a diverse city and people from all walks party together. It is not uncommon to go to a hip-hop concert and see the "Goths" in one corner, the young urban professionals in another, with your mix of WASP's. And don't get me started on the clubs, the hip-hop and "urban" clubs attract everyone, so there is nothing that is uniquely "black"...not unless you want to be deep in the cuts. Anyway some folks complain that there is nothing for black people to do in this city, but believe me there is something for everyone. But I want to tell you about the things (or at least one thing) that makes Austin "weird". One of Austin's most recognized residents is a homeless cross-dresser named Leslie Cochran. Leslie is the self-proclaimed Mayor of an area of Austin called "Tarrytown", who actually was included on the mayoral ballot of Austin in 2000 and 2003. In 2003, he actually came in 4th out of 5 candidates. Here in Austin, Leslie is a celebrity in his own right, and it is not unusual to see him walking the streets of downtown Austin, wearing no more than a bikini (thong that is). And believe me, this is a sight I've witnessed too many times. When People visit from out of town they all seem to have the same reaction when there's a Leslie sighting. That reaction being "WTF!?!" with mouth dropped, shortly followed by "Do you not see that?" It's not that we don't notice Leslie, but he is just "normal" to us Austinites. I guess the city's slogan is befitting.

Too see more of Leslie visit "her" Myspace page:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=44499851