The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1942-12-26
DETROIT TO CHICAGO

DETROIT TO CHICAGO
The boss says, you are going to
Chicago"
i say, Il am staying in Detroit"
He says, you are going to Chicago"
And l say, Il am staying in Detroit,
or else"
He says, Or else what?"
And l say, Or else l am going to
Chicago"
~ = = =
And so on a Monday night find
myself at the Pennsylvania station,
where find it almost impossible to
buy ticket and where many fellow
human beings are already full Of
the Christmas spirit. There are so
many leaving the city at this early
date that am sure there will be
some kind OF labor shortage ere
they return 10 their places Of toll
am very much surprised to find
Edward A. Baker buying a ticket
for Pittsburgh for only ten minutes
before he handed me a letter to
post to the same city. But there he
is ready for one of those spur-of-
the-moment trips for which he has
become well known. take another
look at Brother Baker and say to
myself. Il still have chance for
my money" for | have a standing
bet with a friend that we will not
catch Baker with his hat on straight
before the year ends.
!; x x
There is a group of youngsters
talking with a uniformed army Off
Ger and l think maybe there is
story here, for in the middle Of the
group Of young men is young
lady who is not at all hard on the
eyes. ! mosey over to the little
party where learn from the officer,
Sgt Ray o. Bower5 that the young
men have enlisted in the Marines
and are on their way this very
night to New River. N. c., where
they will become a part of the 5lst
Corporate Defense Battalion.
The recruits are: Charles Jacobs,
of 44l4 Dubois, Clifford Hatcher of
1916 Spruce Cnkster), Bonnie NJ
Lucas Of 2225 Brush, Joseph E. AL
lain of 4l6l 9th, James R. Clark OF
56e3 Both, and David Fuller Of 1888
Hardwood. l ask them what they
think about leaving right at Christ
mas time and most of them say
they may as well go now as any
other time, but not Clark, for he
is m. lied and has child which
he is reluctant 10 leave behind. hav-
ing made many plan5 for its Christ
mas.
In a few minute the Sergeant
proudly explained to this reporter
Gas IL he didn't already know that
they have a branch of the training
service lust for the colored boys"
Heck, / could tell HIM something
about that. Anyway, the boys move
off slowly as they take a long. last
look at the crowd in the station and
Fuller calls back to me to SAY
Merry Christmas for US, and don't
let nobody kid you - we'll be back
after this war" And l say 10 my
self, maybe they will be back after
this war is over. then all they'll
have to~think about is fighting the
Civil war over again.
AS they leave the station seems
sort Of empty and notice the girl
is all alone, so l sit down beside
her and learn that her name is
Lillian Kemp and that she lives at
1850 Middle Belt, BECAUSE she is
looking so sad | ask which one of
the boys is her steady and she says,
well, neither one of them. / don't
have a boy friend any more. Uncle
Sam has taken three from me. One
in the army. one in the navy and
now one in the marines" / wise
crack that she should give one to-
the air force to make The thing
unanimous. and l am just settling
down 10 make conversation until
time for my train when out OF no.
where comes a fellow who is tall
like me. only taller, and who has
nice large football shoulders, and
when he looks ~ the girl and scowls
and she acts as If he has a right
10. say well, it is time for my
train" although no one has heard
TIE ir7t sound to that effect, 1
leave without getting this big fell
lows nsce, but l am sure that if
He is the one she is TO give to the
air force, old Whistlebritches
Schick,egruber hasn't got a chance.
4 X 4
SEND ME SIMON, I'M SIMPLE
On the train there is much amuse-
ment for just ahead of me is a
party of two women and one man
which later on is increased to three
women and one man. and I'll take
those odds any day Anyway, the
first trio mentioned is going a long
way for the Christmas holidays and
before we reach Chicago | get a
pretty good idea OF what a hem
pecked husband is like. The wife in
the case is carrying all the dough,
which leads Up to joke. a very
funny joke on her.
She is making a grand show OF
prosperity which, evidently. she has
not enjoyed in several years. One
act in this show is a consistent
fumbling with a fur coat which
she has thrown back OF her seat
After striking me in the face a
couple Of times which brought forth
= mild COMPLAINT she finally saws