The Wilmington morning star., 1943-05-03
BY WEsTBROOK PEGLER

PHOENIX Ariz. - This was the night of
Easter Sunday and lot of soldiers were in
from the flying fields and the camps way
down in the desert and this one soldier was
sitting alone at the bar on a high stool with
a bottle of beer in front of him. He was an
old guy with World war ribbon on his shirt
and glasses straddling his long nose and hook
ed over his big ears which stood out from his
clipped scalp like flippers. In corner about
five yards away there was a juke box into
which other soldiers and girls were pouring
nickels, dimes and quarters. 1t kept up a
horrible racket with only brief rests while one
record was slid off and the next one dropped
into place.
The old soldier would slide off his stool
every now and again as record neared it's end
and tack toward the juke with a nickel in his
hand. He was pretty well along in his beer
and the going was heavy so by the time he
got there someone else would beat him to the
coin slot, push bunch of buttons and send her
off again.
He tried to promote some conversation with
a Marine corporal on the next stool but the
Marine was morose individual who probably
was fed up on Chateau-Thierry Cantigny and
scissors and all such places as the old dugouts
talk about SO he gave the soldier decisive
brush-off, so they sat on, side by side but
socially apart
Time after time, the old guy eased himself
down off his perch and squared away toward
that box with gleam Of anticipation and
joy in his eye but always some crazy dame
or some lieutenant would be there first. When
you drop quarter in the big slot you get
five records in row and they run about is
minutes.
Sometimes, when new number was about
to start, he would lift his head hopefully with
his little fore and aft cap several degrees out
of line, shut his eyes and wait. Then, after
the first few bars Of the racket, he would
drop visibly and order another beer.
1t was beginning to be late and he was be-
ginning to be desperate. They close at mid
night and the walters and the bartenders were
passing the word to the customers to order
up before the deadline The oldtimer got down,
! looked around swimmingly and set course
for a table for six.
Excuse me- he began, for butting in but
little tight and probably I am a pest
but I was at Chateau-Thierry and 1 can null
up my pants and show shrapnel in both legs
but this here is Easter Sunday and practicable
all night I have been sitting around here irvine
to play particular record on that damn thin9
over there and the record 1 want to play is
| Easter Parade because I am 43 vears old .nd
\ not young like these kids and am sentimental
about Easter and I love Easter Parade n is
my favorlte song and I wonder if vol, wo,,ld
be so kind to see if you can shove in there
quick the next time it stops and get Faster
! Parade for me-
A young flying cadet whose father is re-.
tlreo iour-strlper of the Navy, had noticed the
| old soldiers ribbon and in tone of svro,.tl =.
and respect said he would be glad to horn IN
ana get Easter Parade for him the next time
around 1:e'l If ne had to knock somebody down. So
WI. Mith precise timing he was right there as the
snlng .iafe died, dropped his money, punched the
Ign iign' outton and said there you are, old SOL
der. Help yourself WV '0--
The old soldier hauled himself I'm ,,o,,++o,,;,,a
tnanks and crossed the room and almost climb.
& eo lnto the juke box. He grabbed hold of
ooh sldes, Lowered his head and closed his
Eyes 1or the fulfillment after hours of frustra.
ION ION curing which he had had to listen to the
s,aaeht norros OF hot trumpets and the melan-
choly mooing of love-lorn tenors.
NOW the record ceased to hiss and Irvino
.ot nernn lovely music came, sweet and true:
IN your Easter bonnet, with all the frills
upon It, a smile of serenity spread over the