I have reviewed The Duplex – Can They Fool A Whole City? – by Lucky Stevens for Reader’s Favorite.
The year was 1954, and for a homosexual person, life in L.A. was a double-edged sword. On the one hand, there were many homosexuals in the city, but on the other hand, the cops and society were making their lives a living hell. They were “living in fear if their whole lives being upended, job-wise, reputation-wise, apartment-wise.” During these horrendous times, Jerry fell in love with Cliff, and Barbara was smitten with Dorothy (lovingly knows as Dot).
“….I’m being arrested almost every week now. The usual charge of masquerading, only now it’s like I’m on the LAPD shit list.”
An excerpt from The Duplex – Can They Fool A Whole City? – by Lucky Stevens
A violent encounter with an undercover cop introduced Barbara to Cliff. They made an instant connection, and soon, the four of them were hanging out together. However, sick of hiding behind “lavender dating,” Jerry came up with a plan that just might be the answer to their problems. Indeed, it was a brilliant plan, but would they be able to, as Barbara claimed, beat the mainstream society at their own game? The Duplex – Can They Fool A Whole City? – by Lucky Stevens is a gut-wrenching insight into those days when the biggest crime one could do was to be themselves.
My only regret is when it all of a sudden hit me that I could not dance with Dot. I mean this is obvious, but for some reason it hit me hard at one point. Here was the love of my life, and I could only watch her dance with others.
An excerpt from The Duplex – Can They Fool A Whole City? – by Lucky Stevens
Although the plot of The Duplex is based on an extremely sensitive topic, the story remains, for the most part, upbeat. Cliff has had very close encounters with the law, and yet, he was as carefree as the wind. On the contrary, his partner, Jerry lived with the burden of never-ending worries. The witty banter of Cliff and Barbara are delightful. As these fun-loving, sympathetic, romantic characters try to fight the system without actually fighting, the audience observes the pain and longing they struggle with on a daily basis. It appeared that the society and the law shook hands to outcast a set of people based on the color of their skin, their beliefs, the way they dressed, and their sexuality — to name a few.And they were so apt in their agenda that even Jerry’s brain struggled with conflicting emotions.
“Maybe I’m sick. I must be. Even the Psychiatrist Association says so. These are doctors………At the same time, though, it seems to be who I am. My reality. It’s like I’m a blind man. I know I’d rather see, but I can’t.”
An excerpt from The Duplex – Can They Fool A Whole City? – by Lucky Stevens
The Duplex – Can They Fool A Whole City? – by Lucky Stevens is a mirror that reflects the true face of the society, the inner-conflicts and sentiments of homosexuals, and thought-provoking debates on fascinating subjects.
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