Gifts from the Dragon
Hello my lovelies. A few weeks ago we lost a good one: My friend Bruce Ragsdale Horton passed away. Bruce went by a few different names, but most of us knew her as Dragon Lady. Dragon made the most amazing jewelry. Like seriously, she was crazy talented.
The first time I met Dragon Lady was in 1993. I was working at Hunky’s: I had done drag for the first time and had won Donna Day’s talent night. When you won, you had to come back the next week to perform as “last week’s winner,” and I was complaining to my coworkers at Hunky’s that I had no idea what I was going to wear or even what song to do when Dragon Lady stopped in for an early lunch.
Todd was this cool weirdo that managed the day shift at Hunky’s. Todd had everything pierced; I think he said he had close to 20 piercings, and many were in his face. He looked a little scary at first but was literally the biggest softy and the nicest guy.
So, Todd yells across the restaurant, “Hey Dragon, our little boy James is doing drag now.” Then he gave Dragon a look that said, “Yup, another one.”
Todd then proceeded to tell me about Dragon Lady and her jewels, and how anyone who was anyone in the drag world owned a pair of Dragon Lady earrings. Dragon was so nice to me. After she finished eating, she told me she would be right back. Apparently, she lived the next street over, because she was back in flash.
She handed me a little pouch and told me to wear them the next time I did drag, and she would come back the next week to pick them up. I opened the little pouch, and, inside, wrapped in white tissue, were these big-ass rhinestone, dangly earrings. They were beautiful. I thanked her and got so excited for the next time I did drag. I was going to feel like a real drag queen.
Fast forward to show night: I had bought a sequined cocktail dress at a thrift store and was so ready to do my number. I bought a Mariah Carey-esque wig, so you couldn’t tell me nothin’. I was gonna sing the fuck outta “Emotions” in my new wig, dress and earrings.
I was so going to let them have it.
The reality of the situation was I had no fucking idea what I was doing. My makeup was awful because I didn’t wear hardly any. My wig was fresh out of the box with no wig line, so it looked like a hat (Forehead, meet wig!). The dress was too big. I didn’t wear pads or even eyelashes then. I didn’t think I needed all that; I already looked like a girl.
Then I tried to put on the fabulous Dragon Lady earrings.
As soon as I pulled them out of the tissue I heard a gasp; one of the other girls in the dressing room said, “Are those Dragon Lady earrings?” Why yes! Yes, they are! I could feel the jealousy, and my petty ass loved it. I felt very Joan Collins in Dynasty as I clipped the earrings to my tender lobes. They were so heavy that as soon as I turned my head they fell off. So, I tried again, and they stayed on for a few steps then fell off.
I was so crushed. I couldn’t wear them.
I did my number, and it was fine. I made cute tips and thoroughly enjoyed myself. But I hate that I didn’t actually get to wear the jewels.
A few days later, Dragon came back into Hunky’s. I had her earrings all ready to give back with a thank-you card. When she asked me how they looked, I just hung my head in shame and said, “I couldn’t keep them on; they were so heavy.” She looked at me like I was the most pitiful thing she had ever seen and said in her gravely, deep and yet soft voice, “Well Mary, you have to use super glue to keep them on!”
I was like, what? Super glue? She then informed me that’s how everyone does it. She said to apply a thick layer of base and powder to your ears, then you glue them bitches on. Then she told me to keep the earrings for another week so I could wear them properly. I thanked her and immediately got busy planning my next drag performance.
The next week I entered the amateur show again. I just so happened to own a pair of patent leather chaps — very Catwoman. (Long story as to why I owned female patent leather chaps, six years before I ever even knew about drag, but hey — happy coincidences.)
I wore my Dragon Lady earrings and did “Cool Rider” from Grease 2. I felt fucking fierce. The crowd must have thought so, too, because I won that night as well.
When I saw Dragon a few days later I yelled, “I won!” as she walked in Hunky’s.
She said, “Congratulations Qween!”
I bought her lunch that day and sat down with her as she ate, and I bored her with all of the details about my big win. She told me to hang on to the earrings for a while; she said she would get them from me later. I think I had those earrings for more than a year, and I wore them every time I did drag.
Years would go by before I ever made enough to actually buy a pair of Dragon Lady earrings with a matching ring. Over the years I have had Dragon make me specialty earrings. I never liked gluing them to my ears, so she made mine for pierced ears with an attached clip to keep them on. I wear Dragon
Lady earrings every single time I do drag. Her products are so well made that I will probably always have my Dragon Lady earrings.
I am going to miss Bruce/Lilian Lamar/Sister Blanche Davidian/Dragon Lady. She was an icon in all of her personas. She made me laugh just by being herself. She was generous and giving but could be the shadiest bitch in the bunch.
These are all qualities I look for in a friend, and I will miss my friend.
Remember to always love more, bitch less and be fabulous! XOXO, Cassie Nova
