The midland journal., 1942-11-13

Dy LIE LIE % EIN0OIN
Blindfold veteran New Yorker
Conrad Thibault is doing this col
umn for me-and he'll tell you what
street he's on. It's not done with
mirrors or are New Yorkers espe-
cially stepped in the occult. Rather
it's done with the ear for New York
is city of unique noises. For ex-
ample: You know you're on ''long-
haired" 57th street when you hear
contralto "la-la-las" floating above
the rumble of traffic. These trained
voices pour out of the high, old
fashioned windows of the many mu-
sic studios neighboring Carnegie
and Steinway halls. Frenzied and
more rhythmic voices pour out of
other studios and their "zaz-zu-zaz'
quality tells you that you're on
Broadway and 48th street, near the
Brill building, the Palace Theater
building or the Strand building
headquarters for music studios
where young hopefuls from all over
the world give endless additions for
musical shows, for night-club re-
views and for one-night stands.
Not all of New York's voices are
singing, however. The heated, un-
grammatical chickering's of the city's
dead-enders, or the raucous voicines
of the hucksters tell you that you
are near the East Side or the West
Side waterfront. The despairing, un-
ashamed "Spare a dime, mister?"
would tip this observer off to the
shadowy BoWery or sun-drenched
South street. Wild, lowdown and
sensuous rhythms' and Give" which
passes for conversation, these are
the oral landmarks of Harlem after
dark. Animated controversies, bor-
dering on the belligerent, of socio-
political nature are dead give
away of Union. square. No longer
OF Columbus circle, however. There
the loud gatherings of the soap box
ers have been cancelled for the dura-
ton.
A soft babble of voices, an ur-
bane discussion Of art values, tinged
ever so neatly with the Bohemian
concept, that could be no other place
than Greenwich village. Excited
talk of the theater, maybe vigor-
Gus exchange of opinions regarding
a play, playwright or an actor,
that must be 44th street west of
Broadway where even the rain is
Shubert production. The hushedI
whisperings of sweethearts tell you
that you are on Riverside drive and
the sprightly clickety-clack of the
hooves of horses is ample proof that
you are in Central park, where ham
som cabs, fetching reminders of an
other day and another New York,
still travel their appointed rounds
which is a clear case Of aiding and
abetting love.
On the other hand, New York is a
city of unique sights, many assured
ly not very inspiring or even pretty,
but almost all overwhelmingly hui
man in their mingled elements Of
greed, kindness, despair, joy, strug-
gle, hypocrisy, humanity, psyche
,pathia, ad nauseam. Fleeing pic
lures that become fixed in the mind
like crazy quilt or some giant
panorama of movement and people
and noise. The great lights of the
city are now dinmed because Of
the war. But the surging night life
which they once illumined, is still
very much alive.
Recollections: A sailor with q
touch of supermania, getting kick
out of scaling great sign construc-
ton off 42nd street, ambling pre-
cariously along ledge some rs feet
above ground while a crowd gawks
below, knowing not whether to ap-
pear Mortified or amused A
tattered w. c. Fieldsian mendicant
on Lexington avenue begging a dime
and then intoning prepared two
minute benediction on his "sainted
sucker" A loud and offensive
character, known as broadway
Rose" approaching celebrities of
the entertainment world, demanding
handouts of money, insulting them
and sometimes splitting in their faces
if they refuse. She has been put
away on various occasions, but as
I am writing, is again at liberty.
These and million and one other
dramatic minutae make New York
the swarming and unbelievable mi
crocosm it undoubtedly is. It's full
of raw impulses and is driven by a
great lust for living. 1t is eternally
fantastic and wonderful. 1t glories
in the praises that are sung to it.
and yet it defies description!
Bell syndicate-WNU Features.