The Key West Citizen Newspaper, October 4, 1952, Page 8

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Page 8 THE KEY WEST CITI Trip To By GLADYS JACKSON (Continued From Wednesday, October 1, 1952) What is a recreation trip to a Ship’s company without a party? Commander Jim Nixon was also asking himself this, and did some- thing about it forthwith. A quick consultation with the Captain, an- other with Manager Levy of the Tyrtle Bank Hotel, and plans were orway. Additional help appear- on the scene in the person of ctor of U. S. O. activities in «ingston during World War I. She wes, contacted and proved to be a charming and lovely person. We’d like to add here and now, that Com- mander Nixon from that day for- ward became to all of us ‘“Jeem” as in Miss DeSousa’s funny little accent. Sixty lovely girls were rounded up, former U, S. O. hos- tesses. Of course it would be too much to expect that all sixty’ such lovely girls should remain in single blessedness since 1945, and they didn’t, but being patriots all, all sixty were there - husbands wait- ing patiently out in the gardens or on the patios. A sinster but funny note was in- fected earlier when we decided that we couldn’t do without a Chinese dinner at Madam Cha Fong’s roadhouse. This on the advice of the Citizen’s Jim Cobb whose nostalgia for Kingston is en- tirely understandable. We couldn’t seem to contact anyone who had even heard of the-good Madam until our waiter in the Marine Lounge volunteered to find out. He returned and mysteriosuly told us to go to the Starter and ask for Taxi driver, one “Spence”. Thus it was we insisted on Spence. It took some time to locate him but finally he showed up in his big old 1931 Cadillac limousine touring car. He was a_ talkative little black, with very precise Ox- fordian English. By devious neck- breaking highways and byways with only 2 stops for water for the steaming old hack, we wound out into the hills of Kingston. We couldn't seem to arrive at a price for the trip beforehand, Spence in- sisting on settling “‘later.” We were driven into a walled court yard faint green light. Backing, weav- ing and snorting, the old bus was finally parked directly up against the building. From this seemingly deserted place instantly poured a whole stream of colored men. But Spence ‘was entirely in charge of the situation, Waving them back a nonchalant hand, Spence said, “Eyverything’s fine. No trouble ..» yet.” Then he turned around, and still in that precise Oxford English, went on as follows: “‘Now I want you to understand, I have done exactly as you asked. I have not tried to mislead you. This is Madam Cha Fong’s roadhouse. However Madam is not here. Ma- dam is in the States. In fact Ma- dam has not been here for two years.” Inquiry elicited the fact that not only was Madam gone, but so was the food department, and the place was now a club which did not usually cater to white folks. Then Spence became very hurt. We had not explained that we want- ed to eat, we had only told him we wanted to go to Madam Cha Fong and he had taken us. So we said no, all we wanted to do was eat, he would please take us back to the hotel, and we were so confused we didn’t remember if we had said anything about Chinese food or not. But Spence was adamant, We wanted Chinese food, Chinese food we were going to get if Spence had to cook it, but first of course, we would pay him five American dollars for bringing us to the Road- house, We were more than ready to pay Spence when we got back, but it didn’t look like we were going to get back if the five dollars wasn’t forthcoming. .. and quickly. The five dollars was paid Then followed another wild ride with stops for water of course, clear to the other side of King St. this much 1 recognized, to an even more desperate part of town. Up to the curb with a flourish, Spence descénded and told us to hold tight. He, Spence would recon- noiter a little and find us a place where we could dine sumptuously on Chinese food, , . , and not be cheated! He disappeared down a very dark alley to the Jeft and was . ut ten minutes, In the various tattered cha re peering into the car 4 I was beginning to re- ¢ glittering Beachcomber my person. Returning, tly ushered us out, turned right up the alley. alked across the street, alley, and decided nything at all F homage to Ja y Then with much coughisg aad sput- ZEN Jamaica tering the good American Cadillac began to move and soon we were back at the Mrytle Bank Hotel with Spence voluble at the wheel over how right he was doing by us, and hoping for our patronage on the morrow, At the hotel, under a bar- rage of reproach we parted with another pound English, and hurried into the hotel, in whose-dining room we were welcomed like the prodi- gals we were, and soothed by such super service and delicious food that we felt much better, By the time dinner was finished all eight courses of it, we could Saturday, October 4, 1952 knew that Dorothy DeSousa and her sixty had arrived and the party was under way. It was a good party, plenty of dancing, with Paul Jones exchanges so that everyone was happy. It was one of the most orderly parties I have ever attend- ed, and the crew and Officers of the U. S. S. Briareus are to be com- plimented. The party was over promptly at 11;30 P, M, but there being certain night owls among us, about twenty took off for a popular nightclub, The Glass Bucket. Not being guid- ed by Spence we arrived in good time at an agreeable fee. The in- side was an agreeable surprise. It reminded me of our own Ha- bana Madrid except that the dance floor was raised about two and a half feet and was covered by a roof, The rest of the area was under the stars. The Glass Bucket is run by a statuesque stateside blonde introduced to us as Mrs. Blackman. From the moment of introduction the place belonged to the Briareus, The floor show was about to go on, and I was immedi- ately entrigued by the Master of Ceremonies who crooned a Calypso about a little tongue-tied gal whose “Granmudder tum home at tenty five to telve”. I heard it many times after that, and would adore ‘to have a record of it. We had a wonderful time danc- ing and being entertained at the Glass Bucket by the Calypso sing- ers who seranaded us at our table, and my hat goes off in admiration of this plucky blond who runs the place single handed and charming- ly, “Jeem” decided then and there that another party for the Officers and men who had had the duty on Monday night should be held on Tuesday night at the Glass Bucket | and Mrs. Blackman was enthusias- tic in her invitation to us to come. Tuesday was a lovely repetition of Monday with the exception of a guided tour of the city by car, in which we saw many lovely sections and decided that life in Kingston could be very nice indeed. Tuesday night we again went to | the Glass Bucket, and it too was a | repetition of the wonderful Myrtle Bank Party with Dorothy DeSousa and her U. S. O. girls much in evidence. Another floor show was put on with a féw special additions for the servicemen, and then they left at midnight like Cinderellas, leaving us owls to close up. We did | this, very late with a thrilling epi- sode of being left behind with a sleeping porter and no Cab. The Myrtle Bank again came to the rescue with a limousine. I've often wondered what it would be like to be “Queen for a Day” like the lucky winners on the radio programs of that name. Well, | yours truly was truly queen for four whole days, compliments of the Briareus. My vacation came to a glorious end with a final visit to the big ship. Sailing time being changed j from 8 A. M, to 4 P. M. we had hoped for extra shore liberty for Ronnie. When that was denied, I was invited aboard, and accepted very fast. So another tour of the | ship, a delicious dinner of Roast | Chicken, a final farewell to my ; wonderful new friends, and back to the hotel to pack and get ready for my own leavetaking. We left almost half an hour late because of threatening weather over Cuba, and also left with the inevitable Planter’s Punch, com- pliments of the sugar company in our perspiring little hands. Ah | these sugar companies, They have their sweet points, The trip was cloudy in spots, bumpy in spots, and entirely un- eventful. My last view of Kingston was breathtaking as we circled the | bay, and all the now familiar land | marks. I blew a kiss, and said a silent goodbye to a proud ship slow- ly steaming away too as we turned and headed over the mountains for hom Customs isn't too scary. . . no. | Everyone is very courteous and in , as big hurry to get rid of you as | you are to leave. | It was a wonderful vacation. I mmend it to anyone bored with life at home. The Myrtle Bank is a nderful Hotel to go to. The good Briareus is the sort a gal Id rather have her husband | | mal too, and I'm going back me day. } there too! hear wonderful dance music and | Hope the Briareus is! BOYLE SAYS | By HAL BOYLE NEW YORK ® — If the Lord whispered in your secret. heart that you had but one month to live, and let you pick that month, which would you choose? I'd say October. The birds love it, the beasts love | it, and man himself stands upon {the summit of the year, October is all the other seasons | wrapped into a 31-day grab bag package, tied with a rainbow rib- | bon. It is the period when mother | nature, the great dramatist, brings + her traveling road show to a cli- | max. This is the month that like a cider press squeezes out the best | juices of all the other months— |the promise of spring, the sultry joys of summer, the afterglow of | autumn, the premonitory chill of winter. Everything that walks the earth j feels an amber thrill, a tremen- | dous bubbling vitality that sings | in the pulse. Now is the glory of the universe | manifest, and in the mighty pa- geant of the hills each patch of woods elects its own tree beauty | queen. You like the dogwood? We won’t quarrel. I'll take the maple, | that yellow torch. | The birds looked on disdainfully | while foolish man clogged every | steaming road with his July vaca- | tions. They know the right time to travel. They have hung a “‘to let” | sign on their nests and cloud the | serene skies with a billion wings | beating southward, The worm they missed noses deeper into the turf, muttering, ‘‘safe at last.” It is as if everyone suddenly had been given magic color glasses. The stars bend nearer. And that big blob of moon. a child feels it is so close he id reach up with a knife and spread it on his bread like butter. and lifts an amorous bugle to the but she says “What, again doesn’t hestitate lon The throb in evéry woodland October knows no boundaries. Lis- ten. . . .can’t you hear and feel its music in your veins, the tremen- dous symphony of living? The squirrel, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, becomes an annual miser, furtively depositing acorns in a hidden safe deposit box that will be empty by March. The bear ital until he emerges from his hi- bernation next spring, cross and bankrupt. The Wihd at night now has be- come a violin,-playing a love song for the young, a last tune of youth for the old. Do you stay awake to hear it? You'd better! He only stays a little while, this wandering fiddler in the dark, then takes his ballads and beats it. October wears a crown and the harvest superiority of the rounded apple over the petaled flower, the advantage fruition and achievement have over pale prom- | ises. April is the fledgling politician | of the year, saying ‘“‘stick with me and we'll go places.” October is the mature statesman holding out | the golden reward. October pours the mellowest wine of life, and anyone who isn’t drink- ing of it deeply right now is a sales- man for sour grapes. News Briefs ORLANDO (#—The Central Flor- ida Blood Bank will go into St. | | Petersburg Oct. 13 and 14 to collect blood for the armed forces. F. Burton Smith, CFBB chair- man, said, “This is purely a tem- porary arrangement, We’re just going over to help.” The National Red Cross has not | renewed its contract with the South — west Florida Blood Bank, which | serves St. Petersburg, because the | bank was unwilling to agree to a | clause banning racial discrimina- tion in employment, : MIAMI W—A Dade County grand jury returned a first degree mur- | der indictment Thursday against John Moskal, 57, who stabbed h 18-year-old invalid daughter, / to death last Aug. 25 in what po lice described as a “mercy kill- | ing.” j Moskal told officers his daughter | had been helpless and in pain s birth. Because of the “unu circumstances” of the case, Ci cuit Judge Marshall C. Wisebeart allowed bond of $1,000, REDLANDS (®—Hans Luttrell, 3 drowned Thursday in the family swimming pool. His fat! Guy Luttrell, is a former a e ex ecutive who now operates a fruit scove near his home. HOLLYWOOD, Fla. w#—Harold Brumbaugh, 34, Hollywood, was kilied Thursday in a truck col lision on State Road 7. A milk truck driven by dbeugh and & semi-railer driven by De ‘ Natt Cadillac, M the smashu “yared. The stag stamps on the hilltop | night. Deep in the forest the doe | hears his imperial summons and , heart has an echo in the city. | invests his excess profits in fat, ' planning to live off this stored cap- | makes,every man a king. It bears | ooo the wey The Key West Citizen gets around in the best family circles! One second it’s under Dad's arm, the very next . . WHOOSHI! it’s gone! Junior has the comics on the living room floor. Then Daughter swoops down to get the fashion news. After the dishes are done Mother gathers the paper together care- fully to start tomorrow's shopping. Poor Dad! But lucky you. for this is the kind of magic that puts a song in your cash register. An interested audience in every home! What a place for your selling message! Where else can you meet so many people who have so many things to buy . . . in one fell swoop! Grab a piece of this merchandising magic for yourself by using the newspaper more consistently. Call one of our representatives and let him show you how you can build more business with consistent advertising. THE KEY WEST CITIZEN

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