January 1981. Forty years ago. I was in my last semester of college, had pretty well recovered from the devastating broken heart suffered some months prior, was fresh off a rebound relationship with a little, blonde, freshman, and felt like I had the world by the tail. I got the part of Elaine in the TSU production of “Arsenic and Old Lace.” I lived in a decent two bedroom apartment with a cool gal from Colombia. We ate Ramen noodles with sour cream mixed in and sat on tacky lawn furniture at the makeshift table. I had good friends, a fast car, and my daddy’s Gulf gas card.
One nice piece of furniture in the apartment was the rattan peacock chair my sister brought back from Burma and gave to me. I still have that chair in my bedroom forty years later. The bedroom suit I used was kept for some thirty-five years before selling it to someone in need. There was a Duncanville Panther sticker on the mirror. I added a TSU sticker. I won’t go into the visitors I had in that bedroom, but, I had fun seducing a few guys. That was some three months before I met Glenn. After finding him, there was no longer a need to “make myself available.”
Back to the play. I had to wear false eyelashes, wear heavy makeup, and roll my long hair into a 1940's hairstyle. When I took that roll down, the hair went wild. One night, after the play, I left all the wild makeup and false eyelashes on, (funny how those things are in style now) and went to an apartment where some friends were having a party. I felt wild and looked like something out of Rocky Horror Picture Show. That little, blonde, freshman ex-boyfriend was pretty drunk and said, “I used to know her.” I tossed my head and quoted a line from the movie, “But not anymore!”
It is odd to realize that was forty years ago. I don’t feel forty years older. Looking at that peacock chair, I can transport back to that time, when, as Rick Springfield sang, “I’m going out on the town tonight to get as wild as I can be. I’m gonna find out what it’s really like to be loose, high, and free.” High on fun. Loose and free to do as I pleased. Me, the green Nova, my friends, and the unique time bring a smile to my face and make me want to go Ridin Around.
E
One nice piece of furniture in the apartment was the rattan peacock chair my sister brought back from Burma and gave to me. I still have that chair in my bedroom forty years later. The bedroom suit I used was kept for some thirty-five years before selling it to someone in need. There was a Duncanville Panther sticker on the mirror. I added a TSU sticker. I won’t go into the visitors I had in that bedroom, but, I had fun seducing a few guys. That was some three months before I met Glenn. After finding him, there was no longer a need to “make myself available.”
Back to the play. I had to wear false eyelashes, wear heavy makeup, and roll my long hair into a 1940's hairstyle. When I took that roll down, the hair went wild. One night, after the play, I left all the wild makeup and false eyelashes on, (funny how those things are in style now) and went to an apartment where some friends were having a party. I felt wild and looked like something out of Rocky Horror Picture Show. That little, blonde, freshman ex-boyfriend was pretty drunk and said, “I used to know her.” I tossed my head and quoted a line from the movie, “But not anymore!”
It is odd to realize that was forty years ago. I don’t feel forty years older. Looking at that peacock chair, I can transport back to that time, when, as Rick Springfield sang, “I’m going out on the town tonight to get as wild as I can be. I’m gonna find out what it’s really like to be loose, high, and free.” High on fun. Loose and free to do as I pleased. Me, the green Nova, my friends, and the unique time bring a smile to my face and make me want to go Ridin Around.
E
May 1981. Bettye Grauke at her bachelorette party in my apartment sitting in the peacock chair. She married Lloyd Huggins a few weeks later and they will celebrate 40 years this May.
The peacock chair in my bedroom today.
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