The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-11-01
Walter Wincheu
 M NezC York
RTCTOWN CHARACTERS

BTGTOWN CHARACTERS
 The barber who asks patrons if they want their locks clipped with or without conversation .. Sales men in hoity-toity shops elegantly attired. Without spatS they would feel naked ., The creamy-voiced barker at a penny arcade-a we'll known Shakesperian thespian a decade ago, until he discovered that shilling provided steadier in- come The white-haired gent vino startles newSreel audiences by changing cowbell when his fav- orite presidential candidate appears on the screen Clusters of po- litical debaters in Central Park every evening. Any one can join the verbal free-for-all SepianS at electric shoe-shin parlors convers- ing in tive lingo which baffleS people who can understand only English.
 The Society Set, which claims to be sophisticated, but is the easiest pushover for all types of phonieS. Societyjtes have guShed over fake dukes, counts and, other spurious nobles for years. No matter how many are exposed there are always other phonies to take their place ... The dowager who lost her for- tune few years ago. However, she still lives in luxury because she became 8 bookie! Her clients are Park AvenuiteS Music lovers who take symphony scores to Car llegie Hall and read the music while it is being played .. A famed mat inee idol being rushed by gals at the stage door. Few know that the only lass who means anything in his life is chorine-who ignores him.
 Pretty bobby -soxers lugging lunch boxes to the Paramount-so they can survive sitting through half dozen shows worshipping King Sin atra Jitterbug, almond-eyed youngsters in Chinatown-complete- ly Americanized . An old artist copying masterpieces in the Museum of Art. His hands are shaky, so he steadies his brush by gripping 1t with both hands. The handicap, however, doesn't seem to affect his excellent canvaSeS .. Crowds faS- cinated by pigeons nibbling at bread-crumbs. Proving again that almost anything can attract mob in the Big Burg . |. Germans in Yorkville saloons slipping their beer. These spots used to be Bund hang outs. Now big signs urge customers not to discuss the war or politics.
 The dramatic contrast in tawdry, sidestreet joyntS: Entertainers con- sist of mixture of has-beens and youngsters with a bright future . :. Two mink coated females claWing each other in Grand Central depot. Tho battle twas melted by poli- tical argument The tactful headwaiter in snooty spot. When a regular customer enters with a gal who isn't his wife-the head waiter doesn't give him the custom ary sign of recognition Celeb fanatics ogling first-nighters enter ing the theater-getting more of a thrill by staring at biggies than first-nighters get from the shows.
 Song writers in Lindy's jotting down on menus ideas for ditties that will sweep the nation .. A rahid Deweyite in a joynt, who of fered to wager 8 G-note at even money and was almost killed in the rush of FDR-boosters eager to cover the bet 2. Main Stem Hops whose careers were scutled by an overdose of woofle water. It's an old Broad way tragedy, but its lesson is sell dom learned |. Ambitious humans working at odd jobs along the Big Apple. They hope to become famous writers, composers or stage and screen stars .. The shortage of cabbies which has made many of them proSperous-and some allowed prosperity to make them arrogant.
 The silly brawl between two friends at midtown bar-because each insisted on paying the check. The 77-year old gent who has the same breakfast every morning at a Madison and 50th St., eatry: Doughnuts covered with mustard. Ugh. He claims that combination has added years to his life |. Sidewalk Napoleons who used to discuss military tactics remaining in tune with the times. Now they also debate postwar problems ;. Swisl1es who congregate for some unknown reason in foreign lan- guage movie temples The love- ly Schraffts' hostesses. Most of them look as if they had to pass screen test before they were hired.
 War heroes returning from the blood and thunder of the battle front and finding it difficult to get f1xnd tn~fha synthetic exc;tement of