Retro RFH TGIF Girls

Image February 18, 2022 Elaine Van Develde

Partying with the RFH girls
Photo/courtesy of Leslie Field Bell via Chris Rowett

TGIF! The simple acronym held a great deal of meaning for RFHers back in the 1980s.

It meant it was time to don your best pukka beads and alligator shirt and find the most popular kids’ keg party. Yes, RFHers of today, don’t try this at home. Not in this era. Nowadays it’s an alert for parental arrest. Then it was just considered a “Don’t tell the fuzz” kind of event.

Of course, the drinking age back then was 18, and many an unknowing future cop was at the parties, so … I mean, things are different now in the RFH party realm. They don’t even have cast parties for the RFH shows anymore. Closing night is closing day to avert the slightly possible party of singing around the piano with a keg in the kitchen mishap. But enough of that musing …

The TGIF idea for RFHers was a serious one … serious partying one. There was a party somewhere in Rumson or Fair Haven most weekends. Though, wannabe nerd crashers just dreamt about it or sat in a house across the street from one and wondered what was going on. Ahem …

The parties of RFH decades gone by were quite robust, let’s say. No bit of enthusiasm for the ol’ kegger was left untapped.

Plastic cups in hand, the cold ones were poured with gusto. Many times, too, the parents were right there monitoring the situation … and imbibing a bit themselves. But never mind that.

It’s Friday and it’s time to get back to some close encounters and revive the ol’ TGIF traditions of RFHers — or at least their enthusiasm.

Pictured here is a gaggle of RFH girls. They were pretty cool girls, too. Who do you spy? I spy a Rowett, a Borden, a Field … Who else? And who’s that guy in the background?

Now, what was your most inspired Friday night party antic back in the day? And did you really drink the beer or just hold it to look cool? Wait. Hmmmm …

TGIF! Get to it!

Thanks to Leslie and Chris for this classic look back at RFH partying!