A Gay/campy chronicling of daily life in NYC,with individual kernels of human truth. copyright 2011 by The Raving Queen
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
At Last! The Juicy Bit Of Gossip You Have All Been Waiting For, Girls!!!!!!!!!!!!
They say it pays to have friends in high places. So, about two weeks back, when I discovered that a James H. Farkas was the V.P, in charge of Finance, at New York's City Center, I wonder, "Could that be Jimmy Farkas, who was two years ahead of me, in high school????? After doing some research, I discovered that it actually was.
Which made me think........hmmm.........if something came along to City Center I REALLY want to see (comparable to say, the Philharmonic's "Carousel!!!!!!") perhaps I could hit Jimmy up for some tickets. Because, I actually have something on him, darlings. You are never going to believe THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jimmy and I were never friends during our high school years. I knew who he was, but I doubt he knew me. He was talented, and active in our Drama Program, which I, as a freshman, back in 1970, aspired to, so I made it my business to know who all the prominent people in Drama were!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jimmy's most memorable turn was when he played Polonius in the student production of "Hamlet," back in the Spring of 1971. He is remembered less for his performance, and more for something which supposedly happened during rehearsal, and which circulated throughout the school, like wild fire! I was not there, but I certainly heard about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was the end of a grueling evening. The cast was on stage, the clock was inching to eleven PM, and everyone was tired! These were high school students, for God's sake, who had to be ready to attend class, take tests, whatever, by 9AM the following morning.
Mr. Stevens, the Drama director of the day, had his demons, one of which was alcoholism. He was also obsessed with getting "Hamlet" on the stage, and he pushed the cast harder than they liked. On the particular night in question, at 11PM, he announced he wanted to do Act One, in its entirety, from the top!!!!!!!!!!! According to legend, Jimmy, in Polonius drag, walked downstage to Mr. Stevens, gave him the finger, and loudly said, "Fuck you!" Mr. Stevens countered, "What did you say?" Jimmy repeated the euphonious phrase. "Oh," Stevens countered, "that's what I thought you said." The rehearsal broke right then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This story became the stuff of legend. But something which only I witnessed did not. And this is what I meant when I referred to having "something on him."
Back in the Spring of 1970, when school let out, my friend Doug and I would walk up Abbot Street, to the top of North Tenth Avenue, where we would talk, before he began his way home, on the other side of town. Abbot Street ended at 11th Avenue, and at its foot was a hill embankment, atop which rested a flesh colored, stucco house, very much like my grandmother's in North Brunswick, only run down, and not so nice. As children, we made up all kinds of stories about it. People went in and out of there living, but I never knew whom.
Behind the house was a set of cement steps, and a brick wall embedded within, containing a small shed, used for storage, though I don't think much was ever stored there. As children, we would peer into it, and sometimes, as we grew older, used it as a spot in games of Hide And Seek!
Well, one Spring Day, in 1970, I was talking to Doug, and I was facing towards the shed. Suddenly, all hell broke lose, there was a cacophony of noise, and all of a sudden, the wood door swung open, and a disheveled Jimmy Farkas, came springing out of there, leaping down the hill, running down Abbott Street, and out of sight, as though the Mob were after him!!!!!!!! Several minutes later, not disheveled, looking as pristine as could be, in a long, hooded, purple monk's coat, and beautiful long hair came.....Debbie Osborne, who was the sister of my classmate, Karen!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was so pure and innocent at the time, darlings, I did not know what to make of it. And, as I became less so, I realized--something had been going on in that shed, between Jimmy and Debbie!!!!!!!!!!!! Guess he was a big old horn dog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This incident is embedded in my memory. So, Jimmy, if you read this, or are told of it, don't worry. I'm not coming after you for anything.
BUT if there is a hot ticket item that I want to see at
City Center, rest assured I will use this to get in!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Raving Queen strikes again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Congrats to Jimmy for his high ranking achievement!!!!!!!!!!
But what ever happened to Debbie Osborne??????????????
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