Under the guidance of our new found friend (I forget his name now), we set off to see New York, he turned out to be a genuine and helpful fellow who seemed to be able to open any door. We went up to the top of the Empire State Building and visited the Rockefeller Centre where we saw for the first time in my life, a television programme, we showed great interest in the television and our friend took my mate Ken Wallace away and next thing I know we were watching him on the screen being interviewed on a news programme. Going up on a lift, we were introduced to film star Patsy Kelly who welcomed us to New York, everyone seemed to go out of their way to welcome us. We called into the Jewish Centre in New York where we had a good meal and a lady asked us for our home addresses and said that she would let our parents know that we were OK (which I learned years later she did and that it was the only clue my parents had that I was alright). The next stop was the Free French club, again a great welcome, all drinks and eats were free and an invitation to a night out in the club the following night which we accepted.
Our final stop on the first day ashore in the USA was the famous Stage Door Canteen, this was a must for all servicemen and the only way to get in was to be in uniform, this meant that we had to leave our friend who had guided us cheerfully all day. It was his suggestion that we finish our day there and he left us in the queue to go in, we shook hands and thanked him very much, I never realised at the time what a great deal of trouble he had been to to take us all over New York, I wished I had taken his name and address so I could thank him properly. Anyway we thoroughly enjoyed our night in the Stage Door Canteen, there were plenty of well known stars on the show, but the main one I can remember was a star called Virginia O'Brien billed as the "deadpan comedienne" who used to sing funny songs with a very straight face. Again all our hot-dogs and hamburgers were free and we had a really good night and went back to our barracks very happy and very impressed with our welcome to New York.
The next day the five of us who were to join H.M.S Lothian were called into the R.N. Liaison office and it was explained to us that the Lothian would not now be calling in New York and we should report next morning to see what further developments had occurred. We weren't too bothered about staying in New York for the time being, we had no duties and our only responsibility was to report to the office the next morning. Our pay as Ordinary Seamen was about thirty shillings a week and I personally had about six dollars in my pocket and we didn't know when we would get paid next. However, we set off for our second day in New York and sure enough we found that we didn't need much money. We went to the Pepsi Cola Centre where we were offered tickets for most of the Broadway shows, however we declined as we had made our minds up to go to the Free French club on the night. I made a record in the Pepsi Cola Centre and I was told it would be sent home for me (it never arrived home which wasn't surprising as I mentioned all about my trip, so it was probably destroyed by the censor).
We had another great night in the Free French club, all drinks and food free, but there was a box which we were asked to put a contribution, I put in a silver dollar and that apart from nickels for buses and odd dimes for ice-creams and fruit was all it cost me for another memorable day in New York.
Comments
Post a Comment