THE RUE MOMENT

Sometime in the 50's, Fabian attended the University of Tulsa where one of his classmates was  a young woman named Eddi-Rue MacClanahan.  As you can surmise, she dropped the "Eddi" when she went into show business, ultimately achieving her major fame as one of  "The Golden Girls."  When I  met him, Fabian still carried her photo in his wallet.

Years later, in 1999 to be precise, I was perched on a barstool at the West Bank Café on 42nd Street in NYC, and happened to notice Rue as she made her way passed the bar headed for the ladies room.  I told my companions about her (Fabian was at the country house when this happened.)

Rue was in town doing a production of "The Vagina Monologues" at a nearby Off-Broadway theater and I believe it was her day off.  As she passed by one more time on her way back to her table, I couldn't resist.  "Eddi-Rue?" I intoned.

She stopped short, looked me square in the eye and said "Now, how on earth do you know that?"
I explained that I was the roommate of Joe Fabian (his real name).

"Little Joe," she cooed. "I remember him.  From Tulsa.  How's he doing?"

I introduced myself and nattered on for a moment about our life as she listened patiently.  Then, she smiled and said, "LaRue, you give Joe a great big kiss from me and tell him I said 'Hey'."  I promised I would. "Nice talkin' to you" were her parting words.

And indeed, I relayed the story to Fabian and we relived it many times whenever we were at West Bank.  She was a gracious lady.  Oklahoma roots.


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