Graffiti in my house today!!!!!
I was WAY ahead of my time. I liked graffiti. As a teenager, I invited all my friends to draw or write all over the wall in my bedroom. And I, in turn, often wrote on bathroom walls. I am not condoning it — and should be embarrassed by it — but at the time I even boldly signed my name to the thought or poem or whatever I had written. Sometimes at school, which is just crazy if you think about it. I would write something silly like, Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, so FUCK YOU!!!!!! (A regular Emily Dickinson.) And then my signature: “By Fredde Duke.” First and last name. Didn’t want anyone else getting credit. Not that there were many other Fredde’s using the girl’s bathroom.
One day, I get a note sent into the classroom for me. It was from Mrs. Friedman, the dreaded Girls Vice Principal. Uh oh, I thought, better come up with something about why there is so much graffiti around with my name attached. I slowly walked the long halls, head down, trying hard to devise a believable excuse. But somehow I was still cocky and sure-of-myself that I could pull off getting out of trouble. There was no denying the truth. If anyone took a trip to my house on Roxbury, there it would be in big black crayon (not spray paint) — the same raunchy, unoriginal, Roses are Red poem; the one that my mother would not clean off or paint over long after I moved out — and in fact, would leave there for potential buyers to see during the sale of the house.
I’ve yet to come up with a great lie when I head into the Girls Vice Principal’s office. And already seated there is a group of really beautiful girls from my grade. It was like a dream and suddenly you are somewhere else and you’re not sure how or why the dream just changed location or people. I’m still in my head, working out that excuse and not registering what is going on. That’s when Erica Farber’s face comes into focus. We called her Ricky, and she was the faintly elusive, always gorgeous, every-Jewish-boy’s shiksa dream. I also see my friend Janet Rasak, to me the most beautiful girl; exotic, Lebanese, smart, and extra sure of herself, but never stuck-up about any of her assets. And Betty Hakimoglu, so cute, unique, Turkish. I’m in a room with all these beauties when we are told that we are the ones that are up for Princess and Queen, the ultimate prize in popularity and grandness at Beverly Hills High School. Only the greatest of beauties have reigned before. So, I’m thinking, why am I in this group? This must be a prank or some clerical error. But NO, I’m informed that there were SO many votes for me that I will be up for both Princess AND Queen. What the fuck? They say this doesn’t usually happen. I’m scratching my head and mostly relieved that I’m not going to prison for defacing public property. Instead of jailbird, I might be Homecoming Queen.
the pic's I used to try and win votes
When I left there, I quickly surmised what was behind this. The younger group of students knew me,(I was SO friendly) and since I might be the only senior they did know, they put my name down. And, my oldest friend in life — since we were five and always had each other’s backs — Diana Boos, was probably out there as my “campaign manager,” enlisting anyone she could find to vote for Fredde Duke. Now I get really cocky because I keep hearing from everyone in school that they are voting for me and that I am all but guaranteed to win. So I invite a few different boys to be my escort for the big night. When I ultimately lose to (who else?) Ricky Farber for Queen and Ellen Rosenblatt for Princess, everyone tells me the votes for me were split and that I would have won had I only been up in one category. Like I cared. I thought the whole thing was a lark, but I loved my few moments of sharing the spotlight with the real beauties of my class.
Here is the tag to that story:
Ten years ago, for my 30th high school reunion, I concocted a plan. I thought it would be hilarious to dress my 16-year old daughter in my 1971 clothes — the mirrored skirt my mother had sewn for me that I wore literally every single day to school –and send her into the party as me. The night before the reunion, I pulled out my yearbook and riffling through it, we came across the centerfold photo of Erica Farber as Homecoming Queen. I told Augie she was the “it” girl in my grade.
I wrote out a nametag. It read “I’m FREDDE DUKE … ask me who my plastic surgeon is!!!!” and attached it to Augie’s shirt. She was rolling her eyes as we entered and told me she would do this bit for no more than an hour. I thought, that’s fine, in an hour we can do the joke and go on with the night.
Suddenly it wasn’t going that well. Augie was surrounded by a mob of very angry former classmates. They were muttering about how unfair it was that Fredde Duke hadn’t changed at all in thirty years. Everywhere Augie went, people were not happy with me/her. When people realized I was there and this was just a prank, Augie settled in and partied hard all night with the popular boys from back in the day. She was more welcome in that clique than I ever was.
At one point, I saw Erica Farber fleeing from the bathroom, laughing. She walked up to me to tell me how hilarious my daughter is. Apparently, Augie noticed Erica in the bathroom. Recognized her from my yearbook and yelled loudly — not subtle in any way — “Oh my God!! You’re her, you’re the Queen!!!”
Erica Farber, Homecoming Queen spread in yearbook
Janet Graham, formerly Rasak taught me how to make this amazing lemonade. She grows her own vegetables and had loads of fresh basil from her garden. Soon, I plan to grow my own basil and other herbs.
Janet Grahams Basil Lemonade Recipe
sorry, I can’t give you amounts so just grab a handful of basil and put it in your blender, add fresh lemon juice and add water, ice, Janet adds Agave and I add Stevia….and blend! It’s beautiful and such a lovely color of green. Below is a picture of me with Janet in 1971 when we were nominated for Queen and Princess but didn’t win. P.S. My daughter Augie did get to win at her school for Prom Queen! We were both so stoked about it!
Augie, pretending to be my friend Ben's date at 30 year reunion
me and Janet Rasak in 1971
Janet Graham's Basil Lemonade
Tags: augie duke, Basil Lemonade recipe, Beverly Hills high school Queen and Princess, Erica Farber, fredde duke, Freddie Duke, Freddy Duke, Graffiti in 70's, Graffiti in homes, hippie clothes in the 70's, Homecoming Queen, janet rasak, Like Mother-Like Daughter, Ricky Farber
love it…..Erica Farber was my seventh grade Horace Mann wet dream of a woman …..
I loved your story… nothing like a beauty contest in High School. I went to Hamilton and was never considered for the Princess or Queen category but I did win for “wittiest” (court jester more or less). The problem with that victory meant each winner in each category (too many to mention here) had to wear a plaque in the shape of a dog bone (no kidding!) around their neck on the day that the winners were announced. Now that’s what I call a Faustian deal if ever there was one… I mean you did want everyone to remember that you were the wittiest, but you had to wear a bone around your neck, in our school colors no less, all day long… Fun to remember those bitter sweet days of high school… thank you Fredde Duke! xot
OH the prom queen THING. Imagine. Marymount 1969, my senior year ALL GIRLS voting for other girls. Bizarre. Anyway, Jeanne Brinkman (too beautiful) and Felice Fallon (equally so) both nomiated in front of the entire school. When their names were called they stood up and DECLINED the nominations. I sat with heart racing. Certainly I would be next in line. OK it was a dream of mine but one I held onto despite the improbablity.. The next four girls were called and two other runner ups chosen. The PROM QUEEN COURT OF SIX. A week of campaigning with their huge photos and slogans taped to the walls… i think the winner was a girl named kathy milne. Jeanne nor Felice went to the prom, nor did I. I would have gone without a date IF only I could have been apart of the Court. I pretended I didn’t give a shit. I did. Again, your memories “channel” mine
By the by NO ONE in the Marymount Class of 69 looked like RICKY FARBER!
OH the prom queen THING. Imagine. Marymount 1969, my senior year ALL GIRLS voting for other girls. Bizarre. Anyway, Jeanne Brinkman (too beautiful) and Felice Fallon (equally so) both nomiated in front of the entire school. When their names were called they stood up and DECLINED the nominations. I sat with heart racing. Certainly I would be next in line. OK it was a dream of mine but one I held onto despite the improbablity.. The next four girls were called and two other runner ups chosen. The PROM QUEEN COURT OF SIX. A week of campaigning with their huge photos and slogans taped to the walls… i think the winner was a girl named kathy milne. Jeanne nor Felice went to the prom, nor did I. I would have gone without a date IF only I could have been apart of the Court. I pretended I didn’t give a shit. I did.
By the by NO ONE in the Marymount Class of 69 looked like RICKY FARBER!
Ah, the memories. You’re daughter Augie looks just like you…simply adorable! You have the best stories…makes me feel absolutely boring, L.O.L.
You are so hilarious–sending your daughter–and her going along with it–is too funny! And so YOU!!! You are one in a million, Fredde–who needs to be queen anyway?!?
how did I miss this? Such a great and well told story. You could adapt it today for an episode of Modern Family. The drama from high school never gets old!
Very Very Funny story !!!!! I loved it ! Very clever idea dressing your kid up as you- she did look a lot like you at the same approximate age! All those other girls you mentioned in your tale were very beautiful – each in their own special way- but personally, I think you should have won –
Larry