new years through the years

TONY MONA

OMG! Halloween at Feathers!! It was like the coming of the pope. We would clean the bar and come up with the most outrageous costumes. I am not sure if it was the first Halloween or the second, But, I was determined to be the “sexy” bride of Frankenstein. Copying Marlena from “Days Of Our Lives” I had wanted to have silver sequin lightning bolts on both my hair and breast and a white skin tight dress. I could not find it in any store.
One night during Alton and my “cry fest” after a night of drinking a voice said, “I can help you find a dress for free.” I turned to see a 7 foot Brooke Shields, who turned out to be Tony Mona. “How?” I asked, still unsure of what I was looking at. He went on to explain that he had a secret way of getting dresses to wear.
Mind you this was my first introduction to Tony. He was in love with this guy named Frank and would drive around the parking lot smoking cigarettes and pot crying that Frank didn’t love him. Tony was 17 years old and couldn’t get into the bar. Frank would run into the bar to get away from Tony. Every time the front door opened you would hear “Frank Frank I love you” slam- the door would shut…. “Frank Frank I love you” slam- the door would shut…“Frank Frank I love you” slam- the door would shut…Little Sal, the Italian bouncer, got a kick out of how sad Tony was and would open the door just to hear it.
Tony didn’t have a car, but had a friend named Barbara who drove a Subaru and lived to make Tony happy. Tony, on the other hand, was determined not to be happy. All he did was moan about how horrible his life was- at 17. That is how he got his neck-name Tony Moaner….Tony Mona.
So Alton and I asked Tony about this free dress thing. Tony said he would take us there. We got into Alton’s car and drove up to Upper Saddle River and into a supermarket parking lot. Tony tells Alton to drive towards the Goodwill Dumpster and shine his lights and Beep! Alton does what he says and these two cars take off and these shadows jump out of the dumpsters and take off. “What the F…?” I thought- “Where the hell are you taking us? “I asked Tony… “Dumpster Diving…Had to get rid of the competition.” “What?” Alton giggled as he waited for a reply.
“Dumpster Diving. You dive into the Goodwill Dumpsters and search for dresses and whatever you are looking for.” Alton parked the car and Tony continued to explain as we got out of the car. “Really what poor person is going to wear a sequin butterfly mid drift?” “He has a point.” Alton tried to rationalize. “He wants us to dive into goodwill dumpsters and go clothes shopping.”
Tony, remember he is dressed in drag, hopped up onto the Goodwill bin and as he faded into the dark dumpster we heard- “Last one in gets the skid mark underwear.” “At what point did my life take this turn?” I said to Alton as we watched in amazement.
All we heard was “Ouuu Mama…Beautiful!”, “Too tight”, “Fab-boo”. “I’m going to throw some stuff out at you…put them in the car. I’ll see if anything is in your size.” Oh My God! He was right these hundred and thousand dollar dresses were being thrown at us. Prom dresses, mother of the bride dresses, evening wear, day wear. I was amazed.
Tony got himself out of the dumpster and started to size things up. He gave Alton a great prom dress that was just up Alton’s alley. ”Here I think this will fit you.” He said as he handed a white dress to me. It was my Sexy Bride of Frankenstein dress! Tony said he would teach me how to make sequin thunderbolts.
As we drove back to the bar, Tony went on to explain how he only jumps into dumpsters in good neighborhoods and not to waste your time in poor neighborhoods. “Not worth getting in trouble- Besides, some people live in them I jumped into one and a homeless man was in there! Hey, it’s warm and out of the cold.” He had a point.
On the way home Alton and I could not stop laughing. Feathers was giving us an education and life experiences that no one could prepare us for… I just kept picturing Tony Mona dressed as a 7 foot Brooke Shields jumping into a Dumpster and landing on a homeless person. Is it any surprise that Tony Mona would become my "gay Daughter"
Till Tomorrow, be kind

MARTY

The success of my roller skating number was like daggers into Terry’s empty void where a heart would lie. No matter how many shots of liquor he threw back the sound of MY applause echoed in his head. He was determine to rid the bar of me and the more he tried the more I succeeded.
Mind you I knew none of this and only found out years later. At the time, I was just doing what I was told. All I wanted was for Rodger to have his shows and I was hoping John would just whisk me off my feet and take me away from all this craziness. John was still a shadow in my life. I wanted him to be the star of my life, but he was shy or not interested. The more I tried to get to know him the further away he went. His signs confused me. I would go to the opposite side of the bar as to not bother him and he would find a reason to come over by me. Then I would say hi to him and he would brush me off and walk away. I was a mess.
One of the people responsible for my success on stage was the bar sound and light designer, Joel. Joel worked for a recording studio and would examine and give me notes on my performances. “You’re prepping your jokes” “The audience expected that move” “Great job!” I always looked forward to his notes. He really knew when I was walking through a number and when I was really working it. He would prepare songs for me on record albums and place skips in songs and mix numbers. My week started with Hank and Joel discussing my number and how to make it funny, a fitting with MARTY DE GAYBAR because Hank wanted me to wear only his dresses. Hank wanted Terry to do my make-up- I put my foot down on that one…Terry had told me how the jealous queens would grind glass into eye shadow and make eyes bleed. I still went to Rodgers and he did my make-up. We laughed and had dinner. I could see it was hurting him making me up and then me saying good-bye. Hank was not budging and Rodger refused to apologize. I eventually had Casper do my make-up at the bar. It was so uncomfortable and such a pain. I hated people touching my face with make-up and made no secrets.
Alton kept his distance from the shows. He was down to waitering two nights a week and trying to get out of that. Everyone wanted to work at the bar, but once you did and saw the ugliness of people you just wanted to run! Mind you I was still a hand stamper on week-ends, I really didn’t have a bar job yet.
We were coming into my first bar Halloween! OMG! What a trip that was. Every guy was dressed as a girl. It was so funny. I was the guest judge and I thought everyone deserved to win. This was before Hank got involved with Halloween. Eventually Hank had decided he wanted a theme night Halloween for the staff. The first theme Halloween was the Wizard of OZ. I was Glinda, the good witch. Marty amazed me with the outfit. He started wrapping me in white netting-10 yards! And had a crown made out of a bleach bottle. I was not impressed. Glinda was wide dress and bubbly. Well, Marty took 10 helium balloons and put them under the netting. The balloons lifted the netting and gave me the “Glinda lift”. Marty never ceased to amaze me.Granted I was walking around with balloons up my ass. but I looked good in the pics.
Marty was about to have his time at the bar be put to an end…Peter, Oe’s boyfriend had moved in with him and was jealous that Marty was getting attention, or was it Oe that didn’t like the fact that Peter noticed Marty-either way Hank was planning a trip to Florida and Oe had a shit eating grin on his face.He knew someone was getting fired, but who and why. Terry shared a few shots with Oe in the corner. Marty had refused to make dresses for Terry being Terry never had any money...
Till tomorrow, be kind.

I'd Rather Be Blue

The show may have not been one of our best, but the customers loved seeing hot bartenders in drag. Being that show was impromptu Hank was determined to make the next one bigger and better. Paul, Dominick and Peter were rehearsing choreography that Sammy was putting together. Sammy had been on tour with those color guard/ band shows and had picked up a thing or two about dance steps and Hank didn’t have to pay him.
Hank’s idea was to have the feather men meet the La Plumes- a modern version of the Featherette’s. They were to perform disco girl trio group numbers. The La Plumes consisted of JC (a very good hearted heavy set African American customer), Casper and Terry. Terry didn’t mind doing group numbers in a group he was in charge of. They were dressed in Terry originals- I can still heard Casper bitching about wearing a dress made from Miss Shit material (Miss Shit was what Casper called Lorax material- it was a fake sequin effect) To top the it off Terry stuffed the on shoulder with newspaper. “I have ink stains on my shoulders!” Casper continued bitching.
Update on the bar appearance, by this time Hank had the employee’s come in twice a year for cleaning. He would buy pizza and the employee’s would wash the place down and scrub behind the bar. We would fix any small things that needed it- touch up any small paint jobs. On the corner of the big bar upstairs was Tiffany hanging lights, the bars were tile tops. The downstairs and around the upstairs bar on the floor was rug. The waiters had to vacuum before and after the bar closed. Smoking was allowed in the bar and everyone used the floor as an ashtray. When the vacuum broke Hank had us sweep the rug- my arms used to burn. Then Hank decided instead of paying the waiter the extra twenty dollars to sweep the rug, he would do it. The man made managers pay, owned the coatroom and took the tips and was sweeping the floors for twenty dollars. Karma
Marty DE GAYBAR was making the Feather men’s outfits and the guys wanted a real girl look so they hired Rodger to do their make-up. We couldn’t tell Hank.
I was told I had to do an intermission number so that the audience wasn’t seeing the one group on top of the other. Lucky me.
Hank asked me to meet him at the bar early one night to choose a song. I was kind of flattered that he invited me to pick my own song, and scared to meet with him alone. When I entered the bar and heard Barbra Striesand singing “Hello Dolly” my fears subsided-who can get it on listening to show tunes. We had settled on a number from “Funny Girl” “I’d Rather Be Blue”. Streisand did the number on roller skates and I had never roller skated. Hank thought it would be funny to have me do it on skates and have someone following me with a pillow for when I fell.
I chose to learn how to shake. Marty was to teach me, on top of make my dress to look like the one she wore in the movie. God Bless Marty! After an hour of trying he gave up and I was black and blue. “You have had me in more positions than my lovers!” He snapped as he left the dance floor rubbing his bruises. The next day I went to the roller rink in Bergenfield and paid a kid twenty dollar to teach me. I learned to skate in circles and actually do a kick.
The night of the show came and I made history performing the number. I was flawless and adlibbed the number to fit the club dimensions. I started it off nervous and acting like I was going to fall- the crowd gasped and felt relieved. I did small circles and then the kicks across the dance floor. The number was going terrific until the end when I realized that I never learned how to stop on the skates. There I was traveling into the crowd and they were backing up as they saw my fear. Then a cute customer came to tip me and I grabbed his sweater and stopped. Everyone went wild and I met my hero! Karl.
Everyone was amazed the first time I did the number that they stamped for five minutes for an encore and they got it, but this time all they did was tip me. I never moved-people just kept putting money in me. It was a high. Hank was supposed to have taped the show, but didn’t remember what he did with it. That was fine with me I lived it and I can remember the moment like it was yesterday.
Sometimes I think taping things takes away from the memory. I think human nature allows us to remember event’s the way we need to remember them. It helps us in the future when looking back. Film shows the unromantic, color reality. Think of the first time someone said “I love you” to you. Now imagine if it was taped. You would be more interested in the surroundings than the moment.
Till tomorrow, be kind

The Dull Return

Returning from Fire Island to River Edge New Jersey was such a let down, but it was the famous Feathers Monday Dollar night and we had a Fab tan! (This was before the sun caused skin cancer and we could bake in the sun. They actually sold foil sun mat! It looked like a roll of aluminum foil and you would unroll it and lay in the sun. You would bake, but you would get a date-gay men loved tanned guys.)
Of course we relayed how we were island stars, it’s not like anyone was there to see us. But Sammy somehow found out! “So I heard you bombed on the Island and they’re not letting you back!” “Give me a drink and shut up. I missed your drinks.” Casper ordered. “Not everyone can make a drink like me.” Sammy basked in the compliment until Casper added, as he took the drink…”Mary anyone can make a vodka cranberry, but you don’t charge me.”
We may have bombed on the Island, but we had our home bar. Terry came out to promote his solo show that Tuesday. Alton and I were happy that the pressure of the shows was off our shoulders. Hank had lost interest in us and that was fine. Customers still came up to us and told us how much they missed us. We thanked them and tried to change the subject. I assume they said the same thing to Hank because off of a sudden he came up with a turnabout night. “Turnabout night?” “The guys portray you girls and you girls pretend to be guys.” Hank rambled on…”But we are guys.” I had to remind Hank.
Terry was drafted to replace Rodger, “I don’t do group numbers Hank Darling” Terry reminded Hank. “You will if you want to do shows here.”
The Feather Men were the new Featherette’s doing our old songs. Because Terry was in charge of the music he conveniently lost our group songs. Hank had old 45’s for us to chose from to perform that night. I think I did “Venus” or some other silly like that. Alton refused to do the show “I don’t know any of these songs and I don’t want to look foolish.”
“Now you’re concerned about what you look like on stage? You are a weak link.” Hank turned his back on Alton.
The damage was done and once Alton stood up to Hank, Hank was out for him. I had to throw myself between the two of them. I had one thing that not even Terry had, I had talent, not the talent I wanted, but the talent to get my friends what they wanted. Rodger wanted to be back at the club and Alton wanted him as much as I did so I had a mission. The return of the original Featherette’s.

Fire Island 2

Casper, Alton and I left for Fire Island at 8am on a Saturday morning. We were to perform at 8 that night. Being we were performing in the amateur show we were given a room and we were three friends out to party! Imagine a free Saturday night on Fire Island AND to be able to tell people you were “guest” of management. Alton was going to perform Sheena Easton’s “For your Eyes Only”, Casper was doing “High Energy” and I was performing my dream song “Quiet Please there’s a Lady on Stage” by Gloria Loring the star of “Days Of Our Lives”. I died that I was able to perform my idol! While the others went to Mandee’s and bought girlie outfits, I went to the fabric shop and decided I would make my own dress. Black skin tight outfit with sequins on the shoulder, I was going to knock them dead!
The black satin was twenty dollars a yard, similar looking material (Coat lining) one dollar a yard-who would know. I bought 25 bags of sequins and started to sew on Thursday and continued Saturday morning in the car. We laughed, but I knew I was going to be breathless. The whole shoulder was going to blind the audience, or me. I was going batty looking at the gold shining in my eyes.
I remember how fabulous I felt as we loaded our stuff onto the boat that took us to the Island. Smelling the salt, fresh air and watching the lovers hug as they went on their exciting escape. I continued to sew my sequins. The boat landed and there were guys on top of guys, shirtless and laughing holding drinks. Casper and Alton were like dogs in heat, I sewed my sequins. We checked into the room and met up with Chris-he encouraged us to dress in drag and mingle. Casper and Alton mingled, I sewed sequins. It was time to get ready for the show I finally tried on the dress. They were dressed in their Mandee sales outfit and I was in my homemade-lop-sided dress with sequins on the back! When I sewed it pulled the material up and one side was four inches higher than the other. I sequins were very heavy and pulled the shoulder behind my neck-in fact it was choking me. The announced me and I went out to my tape recorded number of Gloria singing on “Days” as Liz which on a nightclub speaker does not sound that great. I tried to sell the number , but spend most of the time trying not to gag from the dress choking my neck. I almost fell off the stage straining to hear my number, never mind lip-syncing. Casper got his high heel stuck in the floor and fell flat on his face. Alton went out to his song and they played the instrumental side, he just pulled a Rodger and walked back and forth waving. He laughed as we ate the pizza we bought with the winnings-Alton pulled it off and got lucky along the way. Casper got a proposal and a man offered to take him away if he lived in drag. We had a great time that night dancing on the decks and walking on the beach with a guy who swore to love me forever and I am not sure he even exchanged phone numbers, but had a great two days.
The three of us met at our hotel room the next afternoon. It was Sunday and the big tea dance began at 1:00 pm. We cleaned ourselves up and laughed at our adventure. We had all went to different house parties and had stories upon stories of unique people and insane situations. When we went to Tea we were the stars of the Island. Between the three of us we had met three quarters of the Island and was about to meet the rest. I laughed with Alton because Casper had returned to the room and got in drag for his millionaire. Chris had secured a room for us if we wanted to stay an extra night-We wanted to stay all summer!
Sunday night found the Island quite quiet and serene. We laid on lounges at the pool with our beach drinks. We laughed into the night at what an adventurous week-end and the stories we would tell our grandchildren…We laughed ourselves to sleep and woke up in the early morning island fresh air. Well, left the island and smiled at the thought of returning…What a life we had!
Till Tomorrow, Be kind

fire island

Rodger had allowed Alton and I to get ready at his house several weeks after he was let go. Eventually Alton and I stopped going over. It was hard leaving Rodger behind while we went to the bar to perform. Hank had us doing the most ridiculous numbers. He tried to have us do a Featherette show without Rodger, but Alton and I got sick that week and Terry got to do a whole show by himself, it was good. Hank started to lose interest in the shows. All the customers wanted Rodger and even Hank knew how ridiculous he was being, firing someone because they didn’t do a musical number. Hank had introduced us to a world that none of us every thought to enter and now we were submerged and making the best of it.
Rodger old room mate Chris, was a bartender on Fire Island. Everyone said we could pass as brothers, he even dated Bill after I broke up with him. Chris got us hired to do a show on Fire Island! That was big time! Hank wouldn’t let us do a “Featherette Show” in another place. Rodger was furious and did the show anyway. Alton and I went out to Fire Island was watched. We were still making good money at the bar and couldn’t afford to lose it. They were having a drag contest the following week, a paid room for contestants and one hundred dollars. Chris guaranteed a win if we had three contestants. “It would be a shut out.” Well, Casper, Alton and I packed up the car and headed out the following week-end for the island. Just to have a room for free was worth it…
Till Tomorrow be kind

New day

“I watched the show and tears appeared in my eyes-why? I kept crying. Why? I couldn’t enjoy myself, I don’t think I ever can again,” were the words that greeted me when I went to meet with Hank the next afternoon. “I’m sorry.” Was all I could manage to say, I didn’t think my performance was that bad. “You’re sorry? I am speaking about Rodger! How could he turn on me? Why would he turn on me?””Rodger turn on you? What makes you say that?” I inquired. He didn’t do the numbers he was supposed to.
Huh? I was a little puzzled by his response. Oh, the” Maybe” number .”Oe told him to cut it. The show was running long.”
Alton and everyone involved with the show was questioned about what happened. None of us took much thought into it until that night when Hank cornered Sammy for not doing the number as a boy. Sammy was behind the dance floor bar setting up when Hank screamed at him for not doing the number the way he asked him to perform it. Hank took a waiters tray and Frisbeed the tray across the room. Oe warned Sammy to dunk. Sammy was just as angry as Hank.
Hank screamed at him and Sammy yelled back “If you were so concerned about the show you should have been here, besides I do this shit for no pay so don’t flip on me.” “What do you mean no pay? I give Rodger one hundred dollars a week for you guys.”
Rodger got paid? This was news to me. I listened and got a little angry. All these weeks I thought Rodger was opening his home to us out of the kindness of his heart, he was getting paid. Alton was summons that night also. The two of us explained that Oe wasn’t happy with the length of the show. Oe denied this and told us that if we continued to lie he would make our lives miserable.No Johnny Angel.
Talk about a rock and a hard place. Rodger came in and fought with Hank. Rodger wasn’t sure why Hank was being so angry with the show. Rodger had cut numbers before. Before there was a Terry.
"I'm back" Terry cackled,
Terry appeared in the doorway as Hank fired Rodger.
“I cannot have people in my shows that I do not trust.” He announced as he banished Rodger from the club.
Oe became super nice to me, "You know you deserve better than Johnny.Therewas this bartender who used to work here. He moved to Florida and is back now. He'd be perfect for you. His name is obby.
In hind sight Rodger was the lucky one, we had to stay on. Hank was a man of his word and we were not allowed to mention Rodger’s name ever again. Several times I had asked Hank to allow Rodger to return and it was always "Rodger who?"
Rodger encouraged us to continue doing the shows and that he would iron this mess out within a few weeks. A month later we were still waiting to have it ironed out.
Alton and I were used to Rodger and getting ready at Rodger's place. We didn’t have make-up never mind out-fits. Terry offered to make us dresses out of left over party table clothes. We were becoming the joke and Alton was not having any of it.
Till tomorrow, be kind

The Rock and Roll Show

Where the Featherette’s had the “leather” look, the Cruisette’s had the demin look. Terry was supposed to be a Cruisette, but had to go back to the shore for a special show that week. The Feather men were in leather jackets and the Cruiser’s were in demin-jean jackets. I was matched with Peter again and Alton had Dominick, Rodger had Paul, the new bouncer.
None of us were looking forward to this show. It was long and boring and the numbers were strange. Sammy was supposed to do a little Richard song and with Oe’s permission cut it. He was left with a song called “Born Too Late” Rodger opened the show with “Da Do Run, Run,” None of us knew what Hank was thinking, but Rodger gave up the Screaming black woman song “Maybe”. The Feather Men did 50’s men group songs while the Cruiser’s did Huey Lewis and Bruce Springsteen songs. Casper had some number that he listened to once. He went out on stage with big hair and just bounced around. We were all nervous and excited when we found out that Big Sal, the bouncer who used me as a football, was going to bring in this machine that could videotape the show. It was a new invention. None of us believed that it was possible. Remember Video machines were still new and experimental so the idea of videotaping a show was ground breaking. Imagine taping a show and seeing it back on your TV.
The night of the show found Rodger angry with all these people coming in and out of his apartment. It has a quiet apartment complex being turned into a frat house. Everyone came to Rodgers and brought their partners and friends and everyone was touching things. Rodger was a nervous wreck. Alton and I could feel his pain and annoyance. We left for the show and the place looked like a scene from ”Animal House”. We really didn’t have much time to be nervous when we got to the bar because Oe started the show early to accommodate the extra number s in the show.
When we came out for the first number we were hit with the brightest light. I swear it was like walking into the light when you die! My eyes were blinded and Alton fell into me. Rodger was putting his hand up to his face to block the light. We were back-up on the song and just stepped to our sides, but the place was packed so it didn’t make a difference. “Where did all the people come from?” I wondered. Oh, I forgot to mention we had a prop – a cardboard jukebox. We were supposed to pretend we were in a malt shop and playing the songs on the jukebox. WE ALL GOT RIMMED for that one! None of us remembered to put our nickels in it…Just an idea of what we had to go through back then with the fake Ziegfeld.
We did the show and were thrilled when Sammy came out to close the show with his “Born Too Late” number in a MARTY DE GAYBAR original ($100.00). The show was over and we could have a drink. Alton and I ran to the bar! Rodger soaked up the compliments and found us. He told us he was going to have a chat with Hank when he got back about the number of people in the show. “We were doing fine with our shows and there is no reason to change something that works.” And he was right.
Whether it was the attitude or the power or just personalities, there was going to be an explosion and the causalities would be more than you can imagine. We had asked Big Sal if we could watch our show, but he was given strict orders that no one was to see it until Hank saw it first. Hank was coming home the next morning-I got my phone call that afternoon.
Till Tomorrow, Be kind

The Broadway Show

Hank was worn out with time capsule shows so we were doing our first Broadway show. The surprising thing about the show was that none of us knew any Broadway songs. Hank had suggestions, but none of us were familiar with them. The songs they were pulling out of the air were songs I had never heard of. Casper was given “All That Jazz” from Chicago, Alton was given “Whatever Lola Wants” from Damned Yankee’s, Sammy did a number from Gypsy, I was given a duet, “16 going on 17” from the Sound of Music with Peter. Rodger chose to do a duet “Bosom Buddies” from Mame with Sammy. Everyone knew about their conflicts behind the curtains and it was a humorous thought. Rodger was having a problem with an opening and just decided to do the Mame Overture. “An overture?” I was stunned. How do you perform an overture?
Alton and I peeked out the curtain to watch Rodger/Elxa parade around the stage and shaking hands with audience members as the overture played. People were tipping him left and right. We looked at each other in disbelief! He actually performed an overture!
Rodger felt sorry for me having to do a number with Peter, Oe’s boyfriend-hot bartender with no talent, so he had a pretty blue lacy dress for me to wear, a blonde wig with blue ribbons. I am giggling remembering how proud Rodger was with my out-fit. He really took this stuff so seriously. Knowing that Peter was a little stiff on stage Oe had arranged for a giant swing on the stage. Peter was to swing me while we sang out duet. At one point I would stand on the swing and eventually fall into his arms. Very nicely choreographed with one problem- I never rehearsed with heels. When I jumped on the swing I had to catch my balance and used Peter as my anchor. I was falling backwards and grabbed onto Peter’s hair all the while lipping my song. Terror was in my face as I saw the pain in Peter’s. I tried to balance myself, but kept wobbling .It wasn’t until I saw the blood dripping down Peter’s face that I realized the pain he must be going through, but he was a real trooper. I fell forward and pressed into Peter, when he spun me around and we landed on our marks the audience roared with laughter.
Peter stood there with the blood still pouring out and the front of my pretty dress was all blood stained. We looked like the ending of a horror movie as the sweet sound of innocence played from the speakers.
Another hit under my belt and an angry Oe. He felt I made a fool out of Peter. Peter loved being in a hit number. “ I was beginning to think I was sucky, but they liked me tonight.” Peter said to me in the dressing room. “You stole the show.” I said as I offered him a rag for the blood and washed the hair I had pulled from his scalp.
After the show Hank informed Rodger that he was going to Florida and wasn’t going to be able to see the next week’s show. He had a list of songs he wanted us to perform and he had added a plot to the show. “I want the songs to tell a story.”He also wanted to introduce the Feather Men, the male counterpart of the Featherette’s. There was also the Cruiser’s and the Cruisette’s.
The story went like this…Rodger’s Feather man cheated on her with Casper, the Cruisette. Casper’s boyfriend a Cruiser finds out and challenges the Feather men to a dance off. Sammy enters at the end dressed as a boy singing a girls song. He came up with this idea on his own-no drugs and it made no sense, but we tried to understand. The next night we were all to meet at the bar for a rehearsal. We had never rehearsed at the bar. Oe had to let us in and we went over the songs. There were so many of us! Besides, Alton, Roger and me; there was Casper, Sammy, Dominick, Peter, Paul, Marty, Scott and Clint- and we all had solo’s. Oe was furious! He was not having it! “The show will be a hour long!” Oe screamed, we all agreed. “But Hank chose these songs.” Alton offered. “Then he should have been here to see it.” Oe reasoned. Rodger offered to cut one of his songs. He felt awkward singing the song “Maybe”- “It’s a screaming black woman.” Sammy offered to give up his number. “ No one is going to laugh.” Sammy reasoned. “Do whatever you have to do to make it work.” Oe said. “But Hank wants it a certain way.” “I am in charge” Oe reminded us all.
Till Tomorrow, Be kind

part two of My Johnny Angel

As rumor has it there were quite a lot of backstage problems during the last show. Hank had promised Terry the MC position, but never told Rodger. Terry also did not want us “Featherette’s” in the show, but Hank never told us. Sammy was supposed to do “Le Jazz Hot” with two back-up dancers, bartenders Marty and Peter. Peter was the muscle stud bartender who was now living with Oe, the assistant manager. Peter has as much acting talent as Anna Nicole Smith buy Oe kept throwing him at us to let him perform. Rodger told Oe that Peter didn’t have talent- you can imagine what that relationship turned into. Oe wouldn’t even look at Rodger, never mind say a nice word about him. So Team Terry got Oe’s support and dirty tricks. Oe had his hands on a scissor and Rodger’s cassette tape. (ps ; cassette tapes were a way of recording music back in the day. We would usually record the whole show on one tape and the dee-jay would just have to pause the tape after each number. Pretty easy.) Being there were so many people in this week’s show Rodger just put his own song on the tape. My song was on a 45 record so when I got it back I wasn’t surprised to see a freshly made scratch in it. Casper just liked to look chic and really didn’t give anyone any trouble, like Alton. The difference between the two was that Casper could command an audience and Alton could not.
“Le Jazz Hot” was a song from the recently released movie “Victor/Victoria”. Gay movies were just being discovered at this time, but most of them were AIDS related, “Long Time Companion”,” Philadelphia”, and freaking “Torch Song Trilogy’! For years all I heard was, “Do you know who you sound like?” Casper Sammy and I went to see Torch Song together and all we heard during the movie was Casper proclaiming “Sister that is you! That is you!” Now, mind you I wouldn’t mind coming home to Matthew Brodrick, but Casper was referring to the deep, nasal voice.
Anyway, I digress, Sammy kept having problems with Peter’s rhythm, basically – he had none. So Sammy called the number off- then it was back on after Oe threaten-in a nice way- to fire Sammy. Then it was off when Peter realized he was going to look foolish- this coming from the guy who did Connie Francis as a rape victim singing “who’s sorry now” as the rapist was dragged away in hand-cuffs. It wasn’t until Sammy arrived at Rodgers and slammed down his MARTY DE GAYBAR original that we knew the number was back in
MARTY DE GAY BAR was the name we gave to Marty the bartenders designs. Marty had gone to FIT (Fags in Training) Actually the Fashion Institute of Technology. He was embarrassed for us having to wear Rodgers thrift shop dresses so on occasion he would design and make a dress for us. He made Sammy’s “La Jazz Hot” dress in less that two days…Great outfits and more on Marty later…lol..all the dresses cost $100.00.
Anyway that was the back stage drama. Terry was supposed to leave the show a star and the rest of us washed up. Unfortunately for Terry and myself, I stole the show and we all pretty much held our own. That only meant that Terry and Oe had to try harder to get rid of us.He started with the name calling, Queen Eddie, and he wasn't done with me yet.My Irish grandmother taught me to never run from a fight, but she also liked Michael Landon which Johnny reminded me of..
Terry was away for the next two weeks and they were two weeks that will never be forgotten by anyone who lived them!
Till Tomorrow, be kind…

MY JOHNNY ANGEL

The next night Hank cancelled the show planning meeting with Rodger. Something was up, but no one would listen to me. Hank had become the Flo Ziegfeld of Feathers and let everyone know it. He had the songs laid out for us every Wednesday with lyrics and dress suggestions. All of a sudden he was too busy to meet with us AND was allowing us to choose our own songs!
Rodger enjoyed the freedom and told me to relax, “I am not going to let anyone ruin the shows that we created” he reassured me. Unfortunately Rodger did not know Terry. Kenny Alton chose “Holding Out For A Hero”, Casper performed “Flashdance, What a feeling”, Sammy was going to wow them with “Le Jazz Hot”, Terry was performing Irene Cara’s “Why ME?” Rodger hosted the show as Elxa, a drag persona he had created years earlier. Elxa Rodgers performed some Shirley Bassey number and I chose the song I was born to perform, “Johnny Angel.”
“Why do you want to do that slow number? We are putting on a high energy show!” ,“Haven’t you learned your lesson?”, “Maybe we should change your name to Pearl Harbor.”

I didn’t care what anyone said that song was burning in my heart and was destined to be released. I chose a lovely dress and wig- I looked ridicules, but felt like a million dollars! We got to the bar and settled in. Terry chose to get dressed at the bar and was enjoying a cocktail when we arrived. He had three suitcases for one number. He also had three costume changes. “I need an outfit to greet people with before the show, one for after and one to perform in.”
Terry brought the music to the dee jay while we settled in. The overture began and Rodger , Elxa got ready to go on, the dee-jay’s friend came back ina a panic “You cassette tape is all tangled up!” Elxa Rodgers was baffled- “I just listened to it in the car.” Terry jumped in, ”We don’t have time for this, just tell him to play my number – I’ll open the show.” Terry opened the show and never left the stage. He brought Elxa/Rodger out and then placed him at the side of the bar.
The crowd loved Terry’s energy and he was a natural performer. “and our next performer is…oh…If anyone’s thirsty now is the time to get your drink…hahaha, only kidding darlings, my dear friend Queen Eddie” The song “Johnny Angel” began-I was furious, but I had to be strong Johnny was there and this was my last attempt to win him over.
I entered that stage and was so nervous, I hated Terry at the moment and my face showed it. I lipped the song while everyone ignored me. Johnny came towards me and tipped me! My heart stopped and I couldn’t breathe! I was singing “Johnny Angel” to my Johnny Angel and he smiled! I was so nervous- How was I supposed tossing? Then I realized it was a record and it didn’t matter what I was feeling the voice stayed the same. Then it happened- the record skipped, “I’m in hea---I’m in hea---I’m in hea---VEN”. I went along with the skips and horrified that my love song was turning into a comedy routine. The audience was soaking up my fear and nervousness as I prayed for the song to end, which it didn’t because it kept skipping. All I could see was everyone bowed over, laughing and smiling. I stole the show and the anger that was on my face at the beginning of the number was now on Terry’s face.
Hank came running up stairs to find out what everyone was stamping and applauding. Hank made sure he was available the next night to take the control back. I was a hot and he had nothing to do with it, and I know Terry scratched that record on purpose, but I ended up making the best of it. Rodger/ Elxa was the casualty that night, but he never let on-he was proud of me.
Till Tomorrow, Be kind.

A LESSON LEARNT

By now Hank had given us every Tuesday. It was tiresome creating and learning songs and dances for each show, but the crowds kept coming and Hank wasn’t letting any of us go. He did give a few of us a week off here and there, Rodger and I weren’t allowed time off seems people came to see us. Kenny Alton took advantage his time off and would go into the city in drag and have fun with guys. Terry was glad to fill in and always had a solo number ready. Tina Turner had her come back with “What’s Love Got To Do With It” and found Irene Cara songs popular at the time. Casper was the white Terry and did all the solo dance songs.
Working in Zans, a woman’s clothing store, Casper would borrow dresses from the store, perform in them and then return them the next day. Casper was so funny. He would wear maxi pads to cover his arm hair pits so they wouldn’t stain the dress. He would also put band-aids on the bottom of the high heels so he wouldn’t get scuff marks on the bottom of the heels.
He also would take empty beer bottles and fill them with warm water in the bathrooms and then go up to the bartender and say his beer was warm. Back in the day they would stamp your hand for admission in night clubs, Casper would take some of his ashes from his cigarette and make a “stamp-like” mark and get into clubs for free. He would also grab a “water down” drink and take it to a bartender and ask him for ice, then take the newly iced drink to another bartender and complain that the bartender used orange instead of grapefruit juice. If the bartender said to go back to the bar where he got the drink he would bitch “Why would I do that? He made the drink wrong the first time!” He never did it at Feathers, he never had to- he drank for free by this time.
The next show was the next lesson I learned. It was a 60’s theme show- The Featherette’s were in Pink and we had girl group numbers. Rodger hosted the show as Petula Clark and I was given “It’s My Party”. After listening to the lyrics I refused to do the number- Johnny leaves me for Judy! I did not want Johnny to get any ideas. Rodger told me to relax “He comes back to you in “Judy’s Turn To Cry”. “Really? Then I want to do both!” “You will bomb doing those two songs in a row. “ I was adamant and refused to do one without the other! I won, or did I?
The night of the show was routine. We had dinner at Rodgers, laughed and got ready. I was so excited to picture Johnny smiling and getting the hint that he was to come back to me! Chris assured me that he was bringing Johnny to the club and we would finally get together and live happily ever after. I may have had on a frumpy pink party dress from the sixties on, but in my heart I was wearing a smile!
We had a crazy line up, JC was doing Chubby Checkers, Casper was doing Little Eva “Locomotion” Sammy did some dance number with a baton. Terry did “Proud Mary” and commented on how sad looking I was little did he know that I was going to be a hit that night. I blew off all his digs because Johnny was coming back to me.
Midway through the show Chris came back to help Rodger do a costume change. I asked where Johnny was? “He stayed home.” “WHAT!!!!” I was dying ! How could he stay home! This was our magic turning point moment! This was going to be the moment that history books spoke about! Johnny and Eddy-FOREVER! You can’t have forever alone, unless you’re a priest or a nun or on death row-but I wasn’t any of those things. I was a boy who wanted a man to take me away from wearing a pink party dress!
Then it dawned on me and I grabbed Rodger. “Rodger I can’t do both those numbers I’ll bomb.” “You should have listened to me. I told you not to do both those numbers.” Rodger reprimanded me. “I know you were right, I was wrong , now make it right! PLEASE!” “I could change the show, but what lesson would you have learnt? This is for your own good.” Rodger went out and announced me and I did my both songs and I bombed and I learned my lesson, never do a show with an ulterior motive.
Till Tomorrow, Be Kind.

TERRY'S RETURN

It became the routine to meet with Hank to meet with us the night after a show, on Wednesday night and he would outline what he wanted us to perform the following Tuesday show. Wednesday weren’t busy back then, I don’t even think it was dollar night yet. After my solo bomb, which everyone loved, Hank got it in his head that I was funny. The next week he had decided to do a country western theme show. Rodger was the perfect Barbara Mandrell, Sammy grabbed onto Dolly Parton, Casper did something chic-country chic. Kenny Alton couldn’t do the show; he was going to be on vacation. Oh my God! I had never done a show without Kenny Alton. I was hoping to get the week off. Rodger had wanted to do the Mandrell Sisters, but without Alton the idea fell flat. Hank had decided that I would be Minnie Pearl. Minnie who? She was a country western performer who sang a song called “Giggie- up Go.” Rodger suggested I just dress up as her and do another country song. Rodger always had our backs. Minnie Pearl also did Spic and Span commercials, Hank thought it would be funny to add -ish to the box and have Spic and Span-ish.
The one thing about doing comedy is that it won’t work if it’s not your comedy. I couldn’t be funny doing someone else’s jokes. Rodger had chosen the song “I’m just a Girl Who Can’t Say No” from Oklahoma for me to do. Talk about humiliation. Rodger also wanted me to put a hot dog between my legs and release it during the number. I didn’t get the humor, neither did the audience, nor did they get the -ish and I bombed.
It must have been something in the wind, like when Dorothy is in the tornado on her way to OZ and the wicked witch appears, because all of a sudden I got a call from Terry Sinclair. The Shore people were jealous of him and he was coming home. I told him I knew of a laundry mat that was open 24 hours that he could live in- a dig for the indignity that I had to endure. (Plus I knew he wanted something from me and when someone wants something from you it’s your opportunity to be a little cocky.) He laughed off the comment and informed me that he had a place to stay. He was going to live with this girl Jayne and her family down the street from the bar. “How great for me, I will be at the bar every night and of course you can visit and stay with us.” Jayne and her mom and grandmother were so friendly and nice. They always provided a place to hang and just let loose and were so supportive in a time when people didn’t support gay. Keep in mind the times here. News reports are reporting that gays have the killer disease and no one is safe.
I knew with the arrival of Terry the shows would not be the same. Terry had a Killer attitude and usually destroyed things he couldn’t have. But for the time being we were still enjoying the summer as stars. After the country bomb show, came the 80’s show and Rodgers son, Tyson.
Tyson was 9 years old and the first kid that we were exposed to that understood the life style. Actually I think he could have taught us some words. Casper and Sammy befriended Tyson and took him to Chuck E. Cheese while we, (Rodger, Alton and I) rehearsed; I think it was more for them than the kid. When they returned from dinner Tyson was supposed to stay in Chris’ room while we got ready. That lasted an hour all of a sudden Tyson wan into all Rodgers drag stuff. Never in my life did I think I would ever hear the sentence “Tyson put daddy’s falsies down!” or “Tyson daddy’s lipstick is not a crayon.” I heard he got married and was well adjusted, but boy back then I though the kid would spend his life on a shrinks couch.
The eighties night show had us doing strange things. Remember it was the eighties so we were doing modern songs. We had solo’s Rodger dressed as a CAT from “CATS”, Casper introduced disco and performed “High Energy”, Sammy stayed with Cher, David Ryan did Boy George, Alton did Joan Jett and I did Rod Steward. (Yes I dyed my hair copper for this show.) Terry showed up the night of the show with a drag bag and begged Hank to let him do Tina Turner.
Example of Terry, my friend; I am standing backstage waiting to go on in my black spandex pants and leopard print cut off shirt with my blonde hair teased up. Terry comes up to me just before I go out to perform and says, “Darling, who are you supposed to be?” “Rod Steward” I answer nervously. “Oh- I guess if you squint you look a little like him” and pushed me out of the way of the mirror. I guess I could have been hurt if it wasn’t for the fact that he had just told Alton, who was fixing his make-up “Darling allow me mirror space, it’s not like it is going to help your performance. I’ve heard stories about you.”
Kenny Alton still hadn’t grew comfortable on stage, he loved dressing up, but did not want to be on stage learning the songs Hank wanted us to learn. I was the opposite I HATED the dressing up, but had a natural talent on stage. I used to watch all those MGM musicals and the stage gave me the chance to live out all those songs. It was all a harmless fantasy, until you start hurting each other.
Rodger, Alton and I had that bond and supported each. Our friendship and dinners and rehearsals were just excuses for us to grow as friends. Things were about to change, and our friendship was to be put to the test.
Till tomorrow, be kind

"I AM WOMAN"

The week after the fifty show, Hank planned a ‘70’s show. It seemed the shows grew bigger than just us Featherette’s and Sammy. Kenny Alton missed the ‘70’s show. It felt weird doing the show without Kenny. I was at Rodgers and it was just off, no one was sitting at the table doing their fake nails. Sammy and Dominick were doing Sonny and Cher, Casper was Kikki Dee and Kenny Poluso was Elton John, Rodger did Carol Burnett, and Hank had me doing Helen Reddy. Frumpy “Delta Dawn” and “I Am Woman” I fought with Hank and Rodger. There was no way I was going in front of an audience singing “I Am Woman!” It wasn’t until Rodger reminded me that Hank would kick me out of the bar and that I would never see Johnny Angel again that I gave in. They won, but they didn’t win fair.
Hank had gotten a bad rap with being mean to woman so he promoted me as a salute to woman everywhere. Everyone wanted to see the tribute to American Woman! Rodger tried to make me feel better by allowing me to wear this black skin tight satin dress. “Delta Dawn” had a frumpy dress and a suitcase. As we were leaving to go to the bar, Chris informed me that Johnny was going to be at the show that night! JOHNNY SEEING ME PERFORM “I AM WOMAN”! NO WAY!!
After cursing Chris out for telling me, Rodger tried to calm me down. There was no way that Johnny would date a guy who sang I am Woman! Rodger left me in the bedroom as he went to answer the phone. I saw the make-up house dress, slippers and curls from our wigs on the bed, next to my “Delta Dawn” suitcase. When Rodger came back from answering the phone they weren’t there. As we left I playfully grabbed a frying pan to hit Hank with. The show was going along nicely, Delta Dawn had me playing a spinster and seeing Johnny turning away when I entered the stage. Casper and Kenny P. performed “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” and it went well, Rodger found song Carol Burnett song, Sonny and Cher were funny. Sammy and I were in the dressing room alone when I unzipped the suitcase to take out the house dress and accessories. I had Sammy fill the balloons up with water while I explained that I just couldn’t do the number serious. Rodger was chatting away on the mike and encouraged to do an encore number- I think I was amazed that Carol Burnett had a second number. Rodger gave this wonderful tribute to woman and instructed the Dee Jay to “Start the music..” As the song started I stepped out onto the stage to a roar of laughter. There I stood lipping “I Am Woman” with my wig in curlers, a housedress and fuzzy slippers on. I had water balloon tits and a third balloon came in handy as my pregnant belly, all the while waving a frying pan. When I thought the audience was bored with the visual sight, I just popped a water balloon tit and watched the water drip down my leg, some thought I broke my water and was going to deliver my balloon on stage. The balloon actually kept shifting and I was more concern with losing it and killing the visual laugh, but after losing it the audience started a balloon wave and kept it in the air. I was feeling good and about to feel great!
Johnny actually came to tip me! I was in heaven – he was laughing so hard. I was on cloud nine! I finished the number by having my wig fly off my head –curlers and all. The number went so quickly and I noticed I had over one hundred dollars in my housedress as I took my bows to the loudest applause I had ever heard. I ran off stage seeing Rodgers angry red face following me!
“What do you think you are doing? If Hank cancels the shows because you couldn’t follow a simple direction like paying tribute to woman!” Rodger barked. Sammy cursed me out because he had to follow me with “Take Me Home” from Cher. “Even I can’t follow that number, not that I will have to worry since the person who is supposed to introduce me is back here and not out there.” We heard the audience laughing. Rodger had come back stage with the stage mike on. They heard it all. I tried to explain that I just couldn’t do the number seriously, it wouldn’t be right to woman.
Hank came back stage and congratulated me. I tried to explain why I did it, but he didn’t want to hear it. He just wanted to show off his new star.
Till tomorrow, be kind.

GROUP of PICS

Sam and I, Rodger, waitering, Tony, Marco and me when we started the bar in2000, me and the Tony's- I have no idea what happened to them.

first night as a waiter

This is the picture of my first night as a waiter. Notice the new tray with my name...Russ is behind me. He and Max were the one's I mentioned in an earlier blog...Ronnie and JC were on the side lines. I cannot wait to tell you about Ronnie, the little skinny blonde. Terry Sinclair was hosting in a home made drag outfit...sad part is we used to wear those outfits as guys! And we wondered how people knew we were gay...lol.Notice the dance floor ceiling-- how low it is.The pic is near skid row, dance floor bar. the beams with the only dance floor lights.

john and me

The first picture of John and I. Notice him yelling to "Take the damn picture!" and me looking as if I died and went to heaven...lol. Pictures don't lie.

Rodger hanging

Rodger hanging backstage...notice the door that we used to have to open to go out on stage. Eddie eventually took it off. Very funny. St. James used to be a very famous street in NYC for gays

We Are The World

I am jumping ahead to retell this tale at Feathers that seems very relevant today.
As I watch the world recreate “We Are the World” I flashback and remember the night Feathers recreated “We Are the World”. I not only had to cut out the letters for the backdrop, but had to be Bob Dylan. Do not even ask me how I was chosen for the role, but oh what fun we had with that night.
It all started when “Everyone’s Leading Man” Clint wanted to be Bruce Springsteen and Randy the Chinese Dee-Jay wanted to do something to help Ethiopia. Put them together and you have the greatest, largest collection of drag ego’s the world has ever seen!
I am laughing remembering that show! It was incredible that it was pulled off, but a lot of us gave our all to make sure it happened. Randy was a Chinese Michael Jackson, Eddie the manager was Billy Joel or Kenny Loggins’, Peter Mona was Kim Carnes, Gary Dee was Cyndie Lauper and went nuts with the mike stand and almost hit Peter in the face, Terry was Tina Turner, Dominick and Scott G. were Halls and Oats, Scott the red head waiter gave us all roses. He was fired the night before. Elgin was Dionne Warwisk, David Ryan, Kevin Jackson, JC, Oh and our Stevie Wonder who taped his eyes and put cotton in his ears. No one had the heart to tell him that Stevie Wonder could hear…lol
The night marked a special event for me. It was my first night as a bartender. I was giving bar four, the Poseidon Bar, the dungeon. I was so nervous, on top of performing as a recovering addict singing “Just you and MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.” I had to bartend. Clint came on the same time and we had to share one night, but Thursday, bar 4 was all mines. I remember Scott Guidice whispering behind my back, “How did he become a bartend when he didn’t even waiter.” I was going to go back with something, but he was right.
Oh, wow this is really out of turn, after being a star Hank had to give me a job to make me a possession of Feathers so I could not perform anywhere else. He put me in the coatroom. It was ok. I wasn’t allowed to keep my tips because according to Hank the tips from the coatroom paid for the electric bill for lights in the parking lot. He told me he would take care of me…The words of death! Like the Italian’s kiss of death, when Hank said “I’ll take care of you.” It meant you were either fired, or he needed something from you. He also told me that he would buy me a condo in Florida if I lasted the whole season. I did and he didn’t. According to him the coatroom didn’t make the money should had.
After the coatroom season ended he didn’t know what to do with me. He tried me as a waiter, but he already had Clint and Red Head Scott and I forgot who else. I think I have a picture of my first night as a waiter. They got me a new tray just for me. I had my name on it. I just hated servicing people. I remember we used to have three bartenders on Monday and Saturday, the busy nights, each waiter had a big bar and the other waiter had the small little ones.
I was a HORRIBLE waiter. All I would do is run from bar to bar- “Do you need anything? Do you need anything?” I would push my way through the group shouting “Lady with baby-move it” Everyone moved for motherhood…lol. We used to also get paid per drink and had to hand in drink tickets. It was 10 cents for the first fifty and 15 cents for the ones after that. I used to sell up to two hundred drinks in a week’s time, and I wasn’t that good. We would have fun making up our drink tickets at the end of the night. We pretended we remember every drink we sold. Eddie, the manager, was the only one we remembered to give drink tickets to. Dominick used to make them up for me. He was so creative, grasshoppers and old fashions, godmother and any other odd drink you could think of. Anyway, I hated waitering so I would pretend to faint and drop my tray with glasses. It was so funny. I would brake glasses and Hank couldn’t afford to replace the glasses and being he needed me he would put me behind the bar to wash glasses for the bartenders and eventually taught me how to bartend. Eddie the manager trained me at the downstairs bar on Thursday nights and Sammy trained me. To show you the kind of person Hank was, he told Sammy his job was secure and to go ahead and buy the new car. Sammy bought it and Hank had him train me behind the bar as a backup bartender. Well, I wondered why Sammy wasn’t given a part in “We Are the World” he was fired and I was given his positions. Scott was also fired and had to show up to do the show…These were weird times…Because through all this meanness we raised money for starving Africans …
Till Tomorrow, be kind

Annette

Rodger had went to Mandee’s and got three fake pleather light weight jackets and wrote in glitter “The Featherette’s”. “If Hank is going to make us a trio act we need a name. What do you think?” Rodger was never one to look for compliments, but you could see the time he put into these jackets. “There…” I was really at a loss. They were cheap little jackets, but he really worked hard…”…terrific!” Alton saved my ass and finished my sentence. “They are really nice.” I added.
Rodger had made taped and given us our songs to learn for that week He wanted to go over them before we left for the bar.. We were each to have a lead song and do back-up for the other songs. Rodger reinforced the old saying, “There are no small roles…” reminding us to listen to the back ground in these songs.
He had chosen “My Boyfriend’s Back” for Alton to take the lead in. It was cute and had a lot of back up! Rodger had “He’s A Rebel” and I was given “Leader of the Pack”. “It’s an animated song that you can have fun with.” He thought we should end the trio number with a group song, “Chapel of Love” At this point I stopped fighting and just went with the flow. Rodger had also made black tube skirts and had short wigs that were the small color as our Andrew sister look..He was incredible! Every last detail.
When we got to the bar the last minute intimate moments before the show was disturbed by ALL the people in the dressing room. Peter and Eddie took up the dressing room with their clothes and make-up kits and there was no room for us. We just stood outside the side door and waved at straight kids riding by calling out “FAGS!” I really did get used to it, strange as it sounds. The show started and Peter and Eddie wouldn’t let us need the mirror for last minute make-up touch ups. Casper and Sammy were arguing with the dee jay as to who should go first. I also had to change into an Annette outfit that Hank had in a bag for me. I never knew what it looked like or tried it on.
We were a hit and Rodger was right for choosing the songs he did. We played Alton’s number up and Alton just had to look pretty. I camped up leader of the pack and Rodger was in step with his “Rebel” song. Peter went out and did “Who’s sorry now” as a rape victim- enough said. Eddie did his Elvis impersonation Sammy got nickels throw at him during his nickelodeon number and Casper…Poor Casper he was so busy chatting he didn’t realize he teased his hair into a football helmet, he also forgot to shave his arms. Can we say, Max Klinger. We laughed backstage as the crowd in the dressing room shrunk. I took out the Annette outfit and almost died! “How fat does he think I am?”
Rodger took pins and pinned me together in a black pleated skirt and a white sweat shirt what was xx large. Rodger also pinned the shirt, but the Annett was lost. Quick thinking Rodger got two balloons from the office and filled them with water and put them in a bra. “She was known for big tits.” He announced as he filled them into the size of cantaloupes. I was so top heavy I couldn’t walk straight. They started playing the song as I put on the mouse ears. I went out to do the song and no sooner was I on stage when one of the water balloon tits bounced out of my bra and spattered all over the dance floor! The audience went crazy with laughter. I was so embarrassed. I was trying to remember my words as I shifted the remaining tit in the center thinking no one would notice. It didn’t work that tit went rolling on the floor, but did not pop. So the customers thought it would be fun to have a water balloon toss back and forth in front of me. Needless to say on the last line of the song my choreography and their aim were in perfect sync and I got slammed with the water balloon in the face. The applause lasted for five minutes. Hank’s brain went to work…
Till Tomorrow, be kind

The theme nights

We didn’t even get into the dressing room when Hank jumped in front of us and told Rodger they needed to talk. He had a brilliant idea for Tuesday night shows and needed to chat with him about it. The Tuesday night performer had run its course and Hank wanted something new and refreshing for the audience. Rodger spoke to Hank and came back to Kenny Alton and myself. “Let’s go back to my place.”
We went back to Rodgers and showered and got into our “boys” clothes. Chris came in from the city and informed me that Johnny said hi. My night was made. I half listened as Rodger explained that Hank wanted us to do a show every other Tuesday at the bar. “It would be a bar themed party night and we would complement the night with a show. “Do a few songs and leave.” “What’s in it for us?” I asked. I wasn’t being greedy, but we were doing all this entertaining and not getting paid or reimbursed. “You get to keep the jobs you have and I get one hundred dollars to dress you and set the show up.”
That was the black and white of it.
Kenny Alton was a little more definite about what he wanted. “Rodger I really don’t care much about the money and I kinda enjoy the attention, but I am tired of these Andrew Sister songs and so are the people.” Rodger agreed and said that he and Hank spoke about that and had permission to do other group numbers.
Eddie, the present manager, was the next bartender to throw a bar themed party. He chose a jungle night and didn’t want us to perform; he wanted a snake drag queen. (I think that is why I love him so much.) Unfortunately, Hank did not want the audience to forget us so he made the four of us dress in drag and greet people. The place was extraordinarily decorated. Eddie had taken the beams and poles and turned them into palm trees and vines hanging all around.
While all these events were going on, others were eyeing spots in our shows. Casper, who worked in a ladies dress shop called Zan’s, was itching to perform in our shows. He was kissing up to Hank and Oe to get a guest spot in our show.
The bartenders would sit around and discuss what we should do and the songs we should perform. Hank would make Kenny Alton and me to come in early and listen to songs before the bar opened. Alton wanted to do more modern songs and here Hank had us listening to Debbie Reynolds and show tunes.
The next bar theme party was to be a 50’s style sock hop. Hank was going to take over one hundred 45 records and hung them all over the dance floor, he was going to order over one hundred White Castle Hamburgers for the customers. He had wanted us to perform 50’s girl group songs, but he also wanted me to do a solo number. He wanted me to perform an Annette Funicello song, “Tall Paul” as a mouscateer. I was the only comical one who could pull it off. I was beside myself, Rodger went to bat for me but lost to Hank’s mind being made up. Hank also brought in Eddie, the present manager, as an Elvis performer, Peter, the muscle bartender as a Connie Francis rape victim (very poor taste) Casper got into it as Edie Gorme and Sammy was to close the show with a “Nickelodeon” song.
When Alton and I got to Rodgers apartment the quiet moments that bonded us were gone. Casper had gotten there earlier than us and ATE all the food! He took over the dining room table teasing his wig and so proud that he found the dress in his mother’s attic. “It was hers and it fits me!” He had a laugh that stung through you. Sammy had thrown the dresses on Rodgers bed and made a mess of the bedroom. They ran out early so they could drink before the show. After they left the three of us looked at each other and laughed. As we cleaned the mess Rodger went into his closet to bring out our outfits. They are special and will define us. Rodger went to unveil them..
Till tomorrow, be kind…

The story goes on

We decided to go to Feathers that night. We went back to Rodgers to freshen up and grab a “disco nap”. When we entered the bar the whole downstairs applauded for our entry. I kept looking behind me thinking someone else had commanded such attention, but no one was there. The attention was all ours. Hank greeted us and led us to the bar. “What ever they want is on me.” He called out to Marty the bartender. It was a nice gesture even though Kenny Alton and I never paid for drinks.
Kenny Casper came running up to us and did the fake “brush kiss cheek” move. You know the move, they pretend to go in to kiss you and then suddenly jerk their head and you end up kissing their cheek or ear lobe. Casper was famous for his pretentiousness, but he was and is a good egg and a faithful friend. He came running over asking when our next show was going to be. “Sister the grapevine has you performing next Tuesday!” He squealed. “Well, sister, stamp those grapes sour because we are not performing” I was a damned about it! I was standing my ground. I noticed that Kenny Alton was shifting towards the dark side. He had gotten several phone numbers from HOT bi guys in drag and was looking for a reason to dress up.
Rodger came over with Hank. Hank asked if the bartender was treating us nicely, that should have been my first sign that Hank was up to something. “Marty, is treating us terrific! Why?” I inquired. “Well, I think he has a favor to ask of you.”
Marty went on tell us that he was throwing a USO party night at the bar. He wanted to decorate the dance floor as a MASH tent, have the bartenders in uniforms and have dance contests. They would have shot specials and even create a mess hall on the lower level. It sounded like so much fun. I inadvertently mentioned if there was anything I could do to help I would be glad to!
“Well,” Hank chimed in, “Marty was thinking that the Andrews Sisters would be the perfect entertainment.”
OH MY GOD! “Would you mind? Sammy agreed to do an Ethel Merman number.” Marty had puppy dog eyes that made you melt. Marty was such a sweet guy and never asked for anything, just a smile. How could I say no, but I had to remember my reputation. I didn’t want to be labeled a drag queen. Rodger and Alton agreed leaving me the last one to cave. “Why not, I couldn’t think of anyone else I would do this for.” He gave me a kiss on the lips, no tongue but no cheek either. I still can feel that kiss.
The show was in two weeks and before I knew it I was back at Rodger’s apartment learning Andrew Sister songs and dance steps. Rodger had wanted us to learn new songs because, you never want them to see you in the same dress and you never want them to see you perform the same song.
Rodger felt that the hair color was enough to distinguish, unlike the 3rd of July when one was all red, white and blue. He also decided against the patriotic outfits and wanted a more evening wear look. “I have over one hundred black dresses for you two to choose from.” I felt my manhood shrink smaller and smaller- not that it was ever towering, but dressing in dresses!
This time there was no first time dinner or fanfare. Sammy showed up early and hung with us, he had brought Casper and the two of them got a kick out of Rodgers closets. They were blown away! Rodger had them trying on dressed and heels.
We got to the club and Marty had arranged for four dozen roses to be in the dressing room, a dozen for each of us. That was Marty. We performed to a packed house and I have to be honest a lot of them were there to see us again. Feathers was the most sort after stage and so many people came out to see why we were so special. Drag queens were forming at the mouth with envy. I would have gladly given anyone of them my spot on stage, but Hank felt he had “created” the perfect combination when he pairs us all up. We were called upon to do an encore and Rodger felt it was alright to repeat “Beer Barrel Polka” being we included the audience and danced with them. He also liked the Dee-Jay’s added effect of lowering the lights and ending the show midway through the number. It was all theatrics. Little did I know how theatrical it would become as Hank started to direct our lives on and off stage.

Till Tomorrow, Be Kind

Featherette's 10

The next morning Kenny Alton and I woke to what would become our biggest nightmare- make-up on the pillow cases. No matter how much we scrubbed our faces there was make-up on the pillow cases. Our eyes were glued shut with what remained of our eye lash glue and my nails still had the crazy glue that Rodger used to glue the fake nails on me. I had to use pliers to get them off and even then I was chipping away at the remains for days after. We woke up to phone calls from our friends telling us how great we were and that they never had a better time. They wanted to know when we were performing next; we told them flat out it was a onetime only thing. We laughed and encouraged them to tell us how great we were, even though we knew we were; the beginnings of an ego trip. We called Rodger and chatted with him about the show and the wonderful night and the limo! He was too much. “I knew last night was going to be special and I wanted it to be a special memory for you two.”
We agreed to meet at his place to go to the BBQ together. We decided with all the tips we made the night before, $120.00 each- in singles, we would buy an out-fit for the BBQ. We went to this small store in NYC on Christopher Street called “All American Boy”, does anyone remember that place? While browsing through the shirts these two cute guys went up to Kenny Alton and asked if he worked at Feathers, he said yes. They went on to say how they were at the club last night and had the greatest time! “There was this great drag trio doing the Andrew Sisters! They were GREAT!” I was floored. They left before we could tell them it was us. We were stars! For one night at least.
Being a part of Feathers in those days really did make you someone. I am not sure how or why, but people knew who you were. Many found us unapproachable in the bar, but would buy us drinks and chat with us outside the bar.
We got to Rodger’s apartment on the agreed upon time. Chris was there and told us he was sorry he missed the show, but heard from John how great we were. “John left with this guy and ended up not going home with him. He was having to good a time with you guys and the guy just wanted to go back to his place. John left him but didn’t know where you guys were.” Whether it was true or not, I don’t know but, I loved Chris for saying it.
We were the toast of the BBQ and posed for picture upon picture. Everyone wanted to know when we were going to perform next. We protested it was one night only, but I saw Rodger had a smirk on his face.
Till Tomorrow, Be kind

the Featherette's 9

After the ten minute ovation we went back into the dressing room. Hank had a bottle of Champagne waiting for us and popped the cork to toast his new stars. In hind sight I realize how even that night Hank started to take ownership of us. We were to become his property, but that night we were new found stars. Rodger fell into his role as protector and professional-when people came backstage they all congratulated him on turning Alton and me into performers. They congratulated Alton on looking like a natural beauty; Alton loved it and reapplied his make-up to greet his public. Sammy was acknowledged as the show stopper and I was the funny one.
FLASH FORWARD: I would be told many times to “Stop stealing the focus from the lead.”
We made so many new friends that night. People just poured backstage to hug us and tip us and buy us drinks. We had arrived and it was GREAT! Hank had asked us to walk around the club and meet and greet the customers. This was the night before the fourth of July and the place was over the legal limit, but no one complained they just had fun. I didn’t want the night to end and it didn’t.
It was almost last call when Dominick and the skid row gang were heading into the city, I wanted to go but my boy clothes were at Rodgers and by the time I got there and changed it would have been too late. Rodger wanted to see us performers in the dressing room. We all gathered and Rodger announced that he had hired a limo to take us into the city to go to the Monster nightclub in the heart of Greenwich Village. A LIMO! Rodger was the greatest! We were given another bottle of champagne from Oe and Hank and gathered Casper and a few other friends to go into the city. The limo ride was the ultimate in a perfect night. Alton and I popped our heads out of the sunroof and was warned by Rodger that our wigs would fly off. We relived our performance all the way to the Monster. Roger wanted the diver to take the long way to the Monster and when we got to the club the Feathers crowd was already there waiting for us. Rodger had planned it so that there would be a crowd waiting for us and watching as we got out of the limo. He was so smart and good at creating attention. The crowd followed us into the club. Once we entered the Monster the piano player, who was located at the front door back then, went into “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”, Rodger, always the true performer, made us do our choreography. FINALLY we got to do the dance steps we rehearsed! The Monster ate it up and the manager gave was VIP treatment. I was riding the high until I realized that John never showed up. I asked Dominick what happened to John. He informed me that John got lucky with a hot little number. I looked in the mirror and saw a tall ugly boy dressed as a girl. That image would follow me for a long time.
We got back to Rodgers at about 3:30 am. I found out the joy of make-up remover! What a hell it was to take off make-up. The fake nails were crazy glued on and you needed pliers’ to get them off. Rodger had used clown glue to hide our eye brows and again, took forever to take them off. We left Rodgers at 5:00am. He offered us the couches but Alton wanted to go home. Rodger invited us to a 4th BBQ and his friends place and we would go see the fireworks together. We agreed to go. The friendship bond was growing tighter.
I stayed at Kenny Alton’s that night, not that we slept we just talked and laughed and I cried hat Johnny wasn’t with me that night and Alton promised me that one day Johnny would be and we fell asleep.
Till Tomorrow, Be Kind…

The Featherette's 8

Rodger pushed me and Alton onto the stage whispering, “Remember you are stars!” With those words came a slow motion movie in my mind. I remember every moment as if it is happening before my eyes right now. I remember staring into the spot light and temporarily blinding my sight so I could not see faces. The intro to “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” started and Rodger whispered, “Smile girls!” My lips just started to move and I have no idea what words I was thinking of I turned to look at Rodger and he was singing along, Alton was learning into me trying to hide the fact that he didn’t know the words. He positions his lips behind the fake radio logo. Rodger whispered “Stay close.”
Where were we going to go? There really wasn’t anywhere to go but in front of the mike. The place was packed! The dance floor was flooded with people. Hank had roped off an area for us that got smaller and smaller- they were roaring and applauding from the moment we stepped on stage! We couldn’t even hear the music they were so loud, so much for rehearsing and dance steps. I was giving a “solo” part because I couldn’t dance and Rodger felt it would take the attention off my feet. Well my solo that I rehearsed so feverishly came and this idiot starts to tip us.
In drag tipping the customer comes up to you and slip a dollar into your bra, where the tradition came from I have no idea, but it really does interfere with your performance and this guy was about to ruin my solo! I don’t think so.
My first time in front of people, in a dress, and a wig, I push Mr. Tipper aside and grab the mike stand and do a “Tina Turner” as my “He was some boogie woogie bugle boy from company B. …I played that solo like I was a superstar. I could see Rodger out of the corner of my eye, smiling and giggling as I went off on my three line solo. I returned back to my spot in time for us to continue the song. We finished the song in sync and they ate it up! The place went nuts! They would not let us leave the stage. They stomped their feet and cheered! Oe came up to us and asked Rodger if we had another song. Now mind you the show was just a “fill-in”. According to Hank all they want is to party and he didn’t want the “queens” to get in the way, but if he didn’t have a show the ones that came out on Tuesday for a show would be upset. We were to do one song and have Sammy come out to do “God Bless America”. We were actually told we were the “filler’s”.
Rodger told Oe to have the Dee-Jay play “Bei Mir Bistu Shein”. Me and Alton were lipping, “My Dear Mr. Shane.” They never knew. The crowd continued and again wanted more. I could see the skid row gang giving me the thumbs up. Johnny and Casper were smiling and applauding like crazy. That moment is frozen in my head. It was the best! It was the moment to live for. Rodger had us leave and Sammy went out and lip-synced to Kate Smith’s “God Bless America.” I didn’t think anyone could top us, but he did. This heavy female voice coming out of lil Sammy- hysterical! He also handed out little flags and lit sparklers! The crowds went crazy again. Oe and Hank begged Rodger and Kenny Alton and me to do another number…We really didn’t know any other songs. Rodger had an idea. He had them play the “Beer Barrel Polka” and insisted that I, Sammy and Alton grab customers and polka with them as he lip-synced the song. Who was going to argue? They wouldn’t let us leave the stage and we didn’t know the numbers. I went to take Johnny onto the stage to polka with me and a drunken Dominick popped out of nowhere and started polkaing with me. Rodger invited everyone to polka. Casper grabbed Johnny and they polkaed. I didn’t really care. Tonight I was a star, we were all stars. What a warm memory that was to remember. Oe and Hank were smiling like proud parents and we were their babies. The night was young and we did not want it to end…
Till tomorrow, be kind.

Featherette's 7

Sammy had gotten ready with us, but ran in and out of Rodgers place. Sammy was one of a kind.
When Hank dragged him into the show he was throwing “star attitude” from that first moment. When Kenny Alton and I were making moments and a new friend in Rodger, Sammy just wanted to do his number and get to the bar. Sammy wasn’t a drinker or a smoker, but boy could he sex it up. He always had a boyfriend. Sammy didn’t join us for rehearsals or dinner. He came in, took Rodgers clothes, got himself made up and left.
It was decided that the three of us would go over in Kenny Alton’s car. We would have to go back to Rodgers to get our guy clothes. While hearing my voice coming from a woman’s was strange, going into an elevator dressed in drag was beyond strange. Kenny Alton looked flawless, he definitively found his calling, and Rodger looked like Carol Bunnett. I was the one who looked like a guy in a dress and could not pray hard enough to get safely to the car. Rodger lived in a questionable part of Hackensack. Ironically, I would move into that building many, many years later.
We got to the car and arrived at Feathers safely. Performers enter through the “stage door” – the rust eaten door that faces the employee parking lot. The parking lots were packed! I remember being so pissed that I couldn’t be a part of the party and had to stand in a dressing room until show time. Back then Hank had this rule that performers had to sit in the dressing room, which back then was just the small 3’x4’ space behind skid row bar (the dance floor bar). The dressing room is still there, but where the beer room is today, used to be the Dee Jay booth. There was a door that stopped you from going into the dee-jay booth, so we literally just had that little area for four performers and “touch-up” make bag.
If the four of us wasn’t enough Kenny Casper came barging into the room! “Sisters! You look FABulous! A little homely, but FABulous!” Rodger ordered him out of the dressing room. “Johnny’s here!” he added as left. JOHNNY! I was ill I had to run out! Kenny Alton followed me as I threw up being the dumpster! “Oh, I’m so nervous I can’t perform. Kenny, what are we doing?” “It’s not too bad. I do look pretty.” Alton said in a comical voice. We went back in and I got a bar rag to wipe my mouth. The Dee-Jay asked for our show line up. Randy, the Asian Dee-Jay, told us hot great we looked and wished us luck. He told us it was ten minutes until show time. TEN MINUTES TO LIVE. My life was about to end. I was going to stand there, with no rhythm, looking like an idiot. Rodger, who had been carrying a brown bag asked for the mike stand. Randy gave him the stand and he took out a radio “WGAY” microphone covering. “We will place this on over the mike and it will look like we are in a radio station. That will explain why we are just standing there and not dancing around.” Rodger said smiling. “My hero!” I cried as I went to hug him. He stopped me. “Rule number 27 No hugging, kissing or touching before a show. It ruins the makeup and wrinkles the dress.”
Hank came back to tell us the place was packed and he had better be good or we wouldn’t have jobs. He had such a way with words.
FIVE MINUTES-PLACES
Places! Oh My God! I was so nervous and so sick. Kenny Alton held my hand, Rodger grabbed my other hand, as we got ready to embark on a new chapter. The announcements began. Back then the manager brought out the performers and tonight we had Oe in all his glory announcing the new drag sensation, the Andrew Sisters!
The curtain opened!
Till Tomorrow, be kind

Featherette's 6

I got a call from Rodger bright and early Tuesday Morning, “All you need to bring is a razor, 2 pair of panty hoses, sheer to waist and fake lashes.” I called Kenny Alton right after I hung up with Roger and got a busy signal. I do not miss busy signals! Busy signals meant that there was someone talking to the person you were calling and there were no such thing as answering machines so all you heard was this annoying monotone beep. You had to hang up and try again and hope they were off the phone, but they never were and you could spend up to an hour trying to get through. I didn’t have patience so I would just call the operator and say there was an emergency and ask her to break in. She would break into the conversation and say “Emergency call from Eddie will you kindly disconnect.” I got through to Kenny who was on the phone with Rodger so he knew what I was freaking out over. All of a sudden it became real we were doing a show! In a dress! How did my life end up this way?
Kenny picked me up at 6:30. Rodger was cooking dinner for us and we had to pick up our items. I got in the car and we had to decide where we could buy this girlie stuff and not be recognized. We settled for Newberry’s, a five and dime store in the Bergen Mall. I am too tired to try and explain a five and dime store-google it. You would have thought we were drug dealers the way we slipped the items on the counter over explaining the fact that our mothers were too sick to go to the store for their pantyhose and that the fire burned off their eye lashes. Looking back we were so funny, what people must have thought of us.
We got to Rodgers apartment and the place was set up for a feast! Rodger out did himself and made sure that we eat it all. Of course the only music that played was the Andrew Sisters. The songs were started to grate on my nerves. These weren’t the songs we were used to listening to, and Kenny Alton wouldn’t even listen to them. “But how can you lip sync to songs you don’t know?” I asked, because I was the idiot who locked himself in his bedroom with his stereo system and head phones. How do you explain to your parents why you are listening to the Andrew Sister’s? “I’ll just flirt with my lips.” Kenny Alton smiled. He was so funny in his own way.
After dinner Kenny Alton pulled a bottle of wine out of his back pack. “Now for dessert.” He announced as he pulled the corkscrew out of his pocket- “Always be prepared!” Rodger got up and took the corkscrew out of his hand. “No drinking before the show. I am not going to appear onstage with alcoholics!” Kenny Alton got so serious “You expect me to do this sober? Are you out of your mind?” “You will be fine-look…” Rodger left the room and went into his bedroom and returned with a 1940’s red wig with a red hair net. “How can you fail with such a beautiful wig?” “I still want my wine.”
Rodger told me to go into the bathroom and get a close shave. I did as I was told and came out of the bathroom to find the table cleared and Kenny Alton placing his fake nails out on the dining room table. Rodger had me take a seat and he started to prep me for make-up…MAKE-UP! I just wanted to die! You never met anyone who fought as hard as I did. From the moment he put on the base to the lip liner to the multi-color eye shadow, there was not a moment of peace. The liquid eye-liner and lashes did me in. I was done before I started, but the three of us laughed and giggled every minute we were together.
After, what seemed like a life time, but was more likely an hour Rodger handed me a mirror and said “Beautiful”. I wondered why he handed me a picture of Serena from “Bewitched” until I asked and heard my voice come out of a girls face. It freaked me out- I couldn’t look. Mind you his place was ceiling to floor mirrors. It was frightening. Kenny Alton was next and he was done in five minutes. “You are a natural.” Rodger said with pride as he stepped back to look at his masterpiece. Kenny was a natural beauty in drag. Rodger gave us out outfit and shoes as he got himself made up.
The dresses were a riot! We ended up having to tape up our sleeves and double stitch our hems. The surprise came when we had to put on high heels. HIGH HEELS! It never dawned on me that walking in them would be any different then walking in sneakers. My first try I fell right into the mirrors, the second try finding me on my face. “This not going to be fun Rodger” I realized. “Just get up and walk in them. We don’t have time for you to learn how to walk in heels. You should have practiced in them. Now come on, I want to be at the bar before 11.”
The show was scheduled for 11:30pm.
OMG we had to go out in public looking like this!
Till tomorrow, be kind

Featherette's 5

So it was the Monday night before the show and Kenny was waitering at Feathers. I was out with Kenny Casper. There was no buzz about us performing the next night, I have to admit Kenny and I kept it quiet. Drag was still the embarrassment to the gay community and here we were about to embark on something NO ONE was ready for! It started off as a typical Monday night. The bar was packed by 10 and every corner of the bar held its own soap opera drama.
I remember this one Monday night; I had two dates in one night. I had one upstairs and the other downstairs. They never met and never knew what was going on. I faked a head ache and went home with Mr. Moment.
Back to the night before the show, Kenny Casper and Sammy cornered Kenny Alton and I on what we were wearing. When we mentioned Rodger made the dresses they both laughed and offered to buy us tickets out of town. “Imagine wearing a homemade dress on Feathers stage!” Casper cackled. “Are you wearing wigs, or did he make the hair out of a mop.” Sammy chimed in. Kenny Alton and I allowed them to have their moment because they were going to have it whether we liked it or not.
Chris, Rodgers roommate, entered the bar and gave me an excuse to step away from the “Sammy and Casper Comedy Hour”. I greeted Chris with a new found excitement. He was friends with John and he was going to help me trap John, whether he knew it or not. I bought Chris a drink, on dollar night I was very generous with buying drinks. He laughed and talked and Chris asked me if I wanted to go home with him. As flattered as I was I explained that I was in love with someone else, but that if I wasn’t I’d go home with him. Chris understood and left with the guy behind me.
Gay rejections are so momentary and short lived. Casper told me how crazy I was and if I wanted to make John jealous I should have slept with his best friend. Casper had the most twisted logic and it worked – for him. But he had a point I had to open myself to dating and having a healthy sex life.
I started talking to this kind of cute guy. He was interesting and all of a sudden my conversation went into drag.”So, do you watch drag shows?” I asked him. “Drag shows? Not at all! Drag is what is making our lifestyle a joke.” All of a sudden what I was about to do was becoming a reality. I got so nervous.
Kenny Alton and I did our traditional shots and sat on his car hood and chatted after the bar closed. The summer night and the taste of liquor still linger in my sense memory. We both knew our lives would be different, but we both agreed Rodger was a nice friend and worth keeping. He was a support that we both were lacking in our lives, an older gay person to guide us with their experience.
“Besides, I am in LOVE with the fake nails. “ Alton giggled, “I bought wet and wild nail polish and fake lashes.” “Are we supposed to buy those things?” I was confused and Lord knows the education that was awaiting me!
Till tomorrow, be kind

Featherette's 4

Well the minute we got back to Rodgers place he pulled out his sewing machine and succors and started poking and pinning us. Can I put my bags down Kenny Alton joked. “We have a lot to do. I didn’t expect to have to make outfits. We still have to learn the songs and who is going to lip sync which lines and we need dance moves!” Learn lines, dance moves? This was all new to us. “Rodger, “I finally had to interject, “we are just doing this because Hank threatens our jobs. We don’t want to be girls.” “Be girls? We are performers, artist. When you accepted the position of being an entertainer, you took on the responsibility to your audience. People are going to make the trip out to see you, and you and me. They will all be staring at us and waiting to love us. You owe it to them to be your best, for them.”
I turned to Kenny Alton, who already had his fake nails lines up on the dining room table. “Being a girl isn’t the worst thing we could be.” Alton muttered under his breath. “Come. “Rodger guided me to his living room couch and took out his photo book. Each page had a song and a funny story to accompany it. He went on page by page, book by book each story funnier than the next. Alton joined us and by the time we hit the last book we were friends-sisters.
While we were bonding the Andrews Sisters played on and on and without knowing it the lyrics were making a place for themselves in our minds and in our hearts. I think I knew then how special this memory would be to me even back then because as I sit here every moment is fresh in my mind. Roger and I on the couch Alton sitting on the floor leaning on the coffee table and us just howling with the most delightful laughter. It was funny how in those few moments we established the roles we would play in our friendship.
Rodger had a wall of mirrors, it was fashionable back then. That was “our audience” and when we had to learn dance steps because Rodger wanted us to be in step the whole time. “The difference between being a performer and being a drag queen is rehearsal.” Rodger had a thousand of those one-line wisdom quotes. It was like being friends with a fortune cookie.
So it was doing our dance rehearsal that Rodger informed me that I had two left feet! I was a little taken aback. I remember an episode of “Cheers” where Diane (Shelley Long) gets am audition with the Boston Ballet, she turns to the judges “Do not look at my feet, but the spirit in which I am moving.” Meanwhile she has two left feet. That was me. I always wanted to be a dancer. I longed to be brilliant on the dance floor, but it was not a talent God had given me. Rodger put me in the middle so he and Alton could dance around me and I wouldn’t have to move. I felt a little dumb just standing there. I came from the old school of acting where I needed motivation. Why am I just standing there? Why?
Then Rodger had a great plan! He wouldn’t tell us about it. “You are not going to look foolish on stage with me!”
Rodger started throwing the material over our heads again and snip snip…They were pretty nice, not so terrible. He started to fix out sleeves and the length. Alton wanted his hiked up higher and Rodger knew he was creating something. “You’re going to be the one I am going to have to keep my eyes on.” Rodger giggled, little did he know.
Then there was a knock on the door- Rodger went to answer the door WITH HIS DRESS ON! I ran in the bathroom! I couldn’t have anyone see me in s dress! Alton was banging on the bathroom door! “Let me in” I opened the door and we listened at the door. We hear Rodger telling his guest that we were somewhere in the apartment. “Come out; come out where ever you are?”…”We’re in the bathroom.” I answered. “Together?” Rodger asked. “He needed help.” Alton answered. “Needed help? What was that?” we had a bicker chat while Rodger explained he had guest that wanted to meet us.
We got out of the bathroom and there was Chris and John! My Johnny! “This is my room mate Chris and his friend John.” “Hi”…Johnny said hi to me! “You look different outside the bar!” He knew me from the bar! He remembered me! I was in heaven and in a dress! I wanted to die! I ran into the bathroom, this time alone and you could hear me throwing up. After I composed myself I left the bathroom to find out that Chris and John went to the city and Kenny Alton told Rodger all about Johnny Angel. “There are many words I would use to describe Johnny and angel is not one of them.” Rodger warned me. Throw up or not, I felt like a million dollars that night and I slept thinking of Johnny, my angel.
Till Tomorrow be kind