The Strange Situation in Hendersonville, North Carolina in the 1960s

Vernon Shipman, who's 43 in 1966 when this happens, is the owner of Tempo Music. He's known for his cooking and throwing large dinner parties for his friends and family. His boss describes him as very dependable and punctual. Vernon is actually one of the only out gay people in Hendersonville. So you can imagine back in the 1960s in North Carolina, that seems like it would be very, very rare, right?