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.