When I was 10 years old my mother and sister and I moved into Beverly Hills. My mother wanted to be close enough to Elizabeth Arden's where she could walk to work, and to live in a neighborhood with a much better school system than the Los Angeles County school system.
Moving and leaving friends and familiar routines is never easy for children. El Rodeo Elementary School was where I first met my friend Brook. Being new to the school and feeling awkward and very out of place, I needed at least one friend and Brook befriended me early on.
I remember going to her house on Benedict Canyon and thinking she lived in a palace. My mother and sister and I lived in a one bedroom apartment where my mother slept on a pull out sofa in the living room and my sister and I shared the only bedroom. By comparison, Brook lived in a house that had a swimming pool and tennis courts and a spiraling staircase, with a maid that made the best fried chicken I'd ever eaten.
Lucky for me, Brook's parents both loved me and liked having me around. Brook's dad was a movie producer and her mother a housewife. I always wished my mother had someone to take care of her so she could be at home when I came home from school, but that was not her fate.
I'll never forget Brook's bedroom with her canopy bed and velvet bedspread that Brook was not allowed to sit on. Brook's mother wanted to keep that bed looking very pristine, I think. Brook's mother was an accomplished seamstress and I remember her mother coming into Brook's room to fit her for a dress she was making. From the outside looking in, I thought Brook had the perfect life.
I remember meeting Tyrone Power ( a very famous movie star at the time), in Brook's living room. I was awe struck. I think sometimes Brook might have envied my life a little too. Her parents were very busy and my mother lived her life for my sister and me. The grass is always greener, right?
When Brook and I were in high school Brook invited me to her sweet sixteen. We got dressed up and went to a fancy Italian restaurant where we met a well know comedian at the time, while having dinner. I'd have to ask Brook (my memory is shot), but I think his name was Bob Morrow...I could be wrong.
The photo below was taken at Brook's Sweet Sixteen slumber party. I 'm the dork on the right, she's the one on the left that looks like a model.
Brook's dad had a t-bird at the time that he let Brook drive around town, so much fun! She did something to upset her father at one point and that was the end of us driving around in that cute little t-bird.We kind of lost touch our senior year as I recall, but immediately reconnected years later a the Hamburger Hamlet in Westwood when I was in town for a visit with my first born baby, years later. We have been there for each other for many important events, both happy and sad, over the years.
Brook's birthday is on March 20, just three days after my anniversary and a couple days before my youngest daughter's birthday March 22.
This photo was taken at Mr. Honey's sixtieth birthday party. That's a real friend that will drive two hours for your husband's birthday.Hoping your sixtieth is fabulous and this will be you best year ever, dear Brook!
