opportunities were nil and Scott and Paul convinced him to return home to Portsmouth to live with his mother and stepfather. Charlie was not home a week when he knew he could not stay. He had a brief relationship that ended quickly. When he called his two friends in Bangor, they realized Charlie was hurting and invited him to come back to Bangor. Charlie returned - in high spirits and determined. He joined the local supportive Unitarian Church on Union Street as well as the Bangor support group Interweave. Here he made new friends and was accepted for who he was. In thanks for their support, Charlie prepared an Easter dinner for Paul and Scott and decorated their home. Eventually Charlie took an apartment on First Street, near his church, and adopted a kitten. Charlie lived at a time when most homosexuals were still closeted, but Charlie was "out" and even flamboyant; he wore jewelry and feminine accessories. He was known for singing the song "I Am What I Am" from the musical La Cage aux Folles. In 1984, many were not tolerant of homosexuals and victims of gay bashing often did not report incidents. Charlie was often tormented by local high school boys and was asked to leave a local night club when he danced with a man. Charlie was accosted by a woman in a local market one day, who shouted epithets at him such as "You pervert" and "You queer!" Frightened, Charlie quickly left, but as he was leaving, he stopped, turned around, and blew a kiss. After this, Charlie was more wary of strangers. Leaving his apartment one day, he found his pet kitten dead on the doorstep. It had been strangled. July 7, 1984 On Saturday, July 7, 1984, Charlie attended a potluck supper at Interweave. Leaving the party about 10 pm with his boyfriend Roy Ogden, Charlie decided to walk to the post office to retrieve his mail. As Charlie and Roy walked up State Street and began to cross the Kenduskeag River Bridge, a car full of high school teenagers began to slow down. In the car were Shawn Mabry, Jim Baines, Daniel Ness and two girls. They had been at a party and had left to purchase alcohol with a fake ID that one of the girls had in her possession. Seeing Charlie, the boys got out of the car and decided