MamaDiva's Brooklyn Memories

For those of you who miss the" Archie comics" and always wondered what really went on behind the scenes in the television show "Happy Days", join MamaDiva this month as she explores Brooklyn in the 1950's, in those pre silicone days when "breast augmentation" still involved a box of Kleenex.

MamaDiva's Brooklyn Memories:
"What High School did you go to?"

In my last year of high school, it was the time of the Cha-cha-cha and Mambo-Tito Puente's "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom" time. Along with my trio of best friends (Cora, Marlene and Evelyn) I practiced dancing in my bedroom to the tunes of a scratchy LP that went on for hours until we maneuvered the rythyms with grace. This was in order to connect with older sophisticates of the dance at a Club called Roseland, before the curfew struck midnight.

In those days in Brooklyn, everything emanated from one basic phrase: "What high school did you go to?". Mine was Lafayette High School, and to anyone that comes from Brooklyn those words tell all. For those of you who don't: welcome to my generation: Brooklyn, N.Y., in the 1950's.

Though we didn't have the Sopranos, it was in fact whispered that this territory was named 'Graves End' . The story told was that before our school was built in the 1930's, mobsters connected with Murder Inc. broke the code, quietly dissapeared and were forever silenced.

The reality? The building, looked more like a factory than a school, and like an abandoned child, it stood alone, stretching out over three acres of undeveloped land.

In our minds, my Lafayette was as noble as the Marquis for whom it was named, a military officer from France and a learned gentlemen who fought alongside George Washington. Winning battles in the revolution and who returning to France a hero, and a loyal friend to America.

It was all about getting pinned. This was way before we knew anything about "phermones", but the cheerleaders used other ammunition to entice those sweaty high school jocks: inarticulate and mostly sullen, but angel faced members of the opposite sex. The female cheerleaders strutted their stuff; while some were sadly unendowned, this did not stop them. They padded their bras with tissue and with breasts pointing outwards (as in your face), made a dire attempt at the mating game.

The fun times where giggles abounded were when some of our football heroes needed an extra credit and enrolled in a Martha Stewart type homemaking class 101. Yes, these big lugs donned white aprons (clean fingernails please) and set about peeling potatoes, removing half the potatoes with the skin. It was, in theory, good practice, if and when inducted into the army and they had to do kitchen duty.

Our Lafayette years were journey, a Brooklyn-esque Odyssesy captured in time. We wandered as Ulysses through our courses, striving to make ARISTA (the honour list), our version of the Oscars. And speaking of drama, talent was not amiss in my family. Everyone said Mama was a look alike for Deanna Durbin. My sister Arlene, also an alumni, was easily as beautiful as her shoe-in, Claire Bloom.

I will never forget, when Arlene, sang to thundering applause, "I'm gonna wash that man right out of my hair". A grand performance with her classmate and co-star, the famous Paul Sorvino. Both were voted best actress and actor in their 1958 yearbook. (editors note: see attached yearbook photo) Arlene went off with Paulie, her shining star of the basketball team and her song is for him only. The melody has lasted 40 years.

I was a Circe and had a fellow, and my connections with my past during those high school years, is in part what I came to be today.

-End-

So, until next time, wishing all avivlasvegas readers, a happy Spring! Watch for me on tour, coming soon to a city near you! Hugs and Kisses. MamaDiva.

Contact Mama Diva at 5a7@avivalasvegas.com. Make sure to put Mama Diva in the subject line.

For those of you who miss the" Archie comics" and always wondered what really went on behind the scenes in the television show "Happy Days", join MamaDiva this month as she explores Brooklyn in the 1950's, in those pre silicone days when "breast augmentation" still involved a box of Kleenex.