Guest Blogger: Dust Bunny Howard

I had the distinct pleasure of hanging out with long-time Dust Bunny Howard - who lived in NYC during the 80's and early 90's, and now resides in Delaware. He is the second Delaware Dust Bunny I've met (Mark was the first) - in fact, the ONLY Dust Bunnies I've met in person have been from Delaware. When are you other Bunnies coming to see me???

Anywhoo, since I am a total bossy bitch, I made Howard document the details of his trip...

My Weekend in NYC - By Dust Bunny Howard

After months of trying to plan a trip to NYC to attend a Broadway show and stalk handsome men. So it all started with me driving through a snow storm to my sister’s in New Jersey, and taking the train into the city to catch the Friday night show of ‘Grease,’ now staring Ace Young as Kenickie. Let me just say that seeing him in tight jeans and a wifebeater posing on top of the spinning car is worth the price of admission. So much so I made it to the matinee show on Saturday, too.

After the shows, I also got to speak with Ace outside the stage door. I have stalked him enough he even recognizes me [I have yet to receive a court order, so all must be good] He is an incredibly kind and generous guy, and utterly gorgeous. Despite the cold and at times snowy weather, he made sure to see all the fans who were waiting, and make a special effort for those I was with.

While that might be enough for one weekend, I had more plans. I had emailed David Dust and said I would be in town, can we meet up? So indeed we did. Something David and I discovered before was that we both worked in the same building, albeit in different decades. I worked at an off-Broadway theater in the early 80s, struggling to get by on meager wages. In passing, David told me that very same building is where he manages a restaurant, as the theater had closed in the 90s.

So I made my way downtown, fresh from stalking Ace, and when I got out of the subway, I looked over and there it was. Many memories flew into my head, many of them good. I glanced around, not having been back to this area in a long time. I crossed the street and walked in. So very different inside, but hints of what used to be. What used to be dressing rooms are now offices for the owners. The stage manager’s booth is now the home of a DJ. The stage area is now a bar – although I will admit to having had several adult beverages in that particular area, but that might be better left to other stories.

But it was also my first chance to meet David, our illustrious blogger. He greeted me with a hug and a kiss, and we sat down and started chatting. Funny, it was as if we were longtime friends, giggling and telling stories. He had me laughing from start to finish of the evening. We talked about the space, our lives, and the bars/clubs we had known. I asked about Marie’s Crisis, an old piano bar in the Village I had been known to frequent. Back in the mid 80s, all the Broadway chorus girls and boys would come down to Marie’s after their shows, and the piano would start with the show tunes, and it was the best sounding piano bar ever! There was Rochelle, a waitress, who would break out her schtick, riding solo on Peter Pan’s ‘I’m Flying’, hanging off the bar. And the bartender, known as Fluffy, who would be generous with the drinks for those he liked.

Well, David and I finished a great meal, and made our way to Marie’s. There was no Rochelle, nor was Fluffy there, but David was there to make me laugh more, and we had far too much to drink as the place filled up and the crowd sang along. However, soon it was time to return to New Jersey – talk about feeling like Cinderella at the stroke of midnight, so we headed uptown, dropping me off at Penn Station. I managed my way to the train, and eventually to a cab to get me to my sister’s house. Eventually, I woke up and made my way back to Delaware, with plenty of new memories of NYC. Careful, Mr Dust, I will return. Ask Ace, I’ve been stalking him for 3 years now!

I certainly hope to see Howard again soon. We had a GREAT TIME - and I'm so glad Howard got me off my ass, out of my apartment, and into a bar - where I belong. Next time he needs to get Ace to come drinking with us...

Thanks Howard for being a fabulous drinking partner, and for being a fantastic guest-blogger! Check out Howard's MySpace page HERE - where he does a little blogging of his own.

XOXOXO