Club Les Gals in 1976 was an adult-oriented establishment located on West Mt. Royal Avenue, directly across the street from the Academic Center of the University of Baltimore, my alma mater.
I edited the university's Student Press newspaper at the time and visited the club (solely in the name of journalism) for a "Get to Know Your Neighbors" feature.
Local ordinances governed whether strip clubs could serve alcohol based on the level of nudity allowed. Clubs that permitted full nudity were sometimes allowed to sell alcohol. Full disclosure: I had a rum and coke.
I met a dancer named Natalie who told me she liked to dance to Hall and Oates' song "She's Gone." She said she only danced at the club to earn extra money and said she was attending Loyola College where she was majoring in Political Science.
I interviewed the bartender and a few patrons. Then I wrote the 3,000-word article that night.
The article was published a week later, appearing next to a Club Les Gals print ad. A black and white portrait photo of Natalie that I took accompanied it. University of Baltimore students enjoyed reading the article, as did faculty and staff.
My writing professor cited it in class as an example of excellent Gonzo journalism that captured loneliness under the guise of glitzy entertainment.
I returned to the club to give copies of the article to Natalie. The bartender told me she no longer danced there. He did not know her whereabouts.
Club Les Gals has since been demolished. Its property is now part of the University of Baltimore's multi-acre Buiness and Liberal Arts college complex.
I wonder today what became of Natalie. Did she ever graduate, or was everything she told me a lie?
