The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-10-09
Observations
Writer Finds New
York Not Gay,
Just Grouchy
By HELEN EssARY

By HELEN ESSARY
went 10 New York for a few
days holiday last week. Said !. It
will be gay up there. Everybody
rejoicing that the war is over. None
OF the uncertainty and confusion
OF ofieial Washington engaged in
an unwinding a world war.
New York, however. is not gay.
II was more frantic. worse-manner-
ed than ever. Never saw so many
cross people. Not a happy face
anywhere. Thousands Of unem-
ployed about. because OF the clos
ing down OF war plants. With a
few extra tens OF thousands added
10 the idle and disgruntled by the
strike of the elevator operators.
In the wholesale districts mobs
OF people were standing about do
ing nothing. Just standing and
glowering. In the shops, clerks
and shoppers ready TO quarrel
and quarreling. II made me I'M
comfortable. Uneasy about the
days ahead.
Let me get back TO Washington.
I thought Let me find a tontented
little family, already back TO bat.
thing in the old peace-time way.
! found the little family. Content
ed deen down. But struggling with
the difficulties OF reconyersion. in
its own small way.
/ persuaded the mother OF the
family to put down on paper for
me some OF her reactions TO this
postwar world. Here they are.
Not world-shattering reactions. Just
the sort that thousands OF Ameri-
can families are muddling through:
when that glorious day of peace
arrived last month | was so elated
that l felt certain that on the NOR
row would start that perfect new
world that the magazine advertise
ments had promised me.
81 Immediately anticipated run
ming downtown and picking up all
the underwear, socks and snow
suits I,needed for the children, new
clothes for myself and q few little
gadgets for the home. Such as
a new washing machine and a
carp.t sweeper.
The pleasantest change OF all
was going to be the dressing up OF
Papa. The children and | were
awfully proud and little bit sad.
too, when Papa's tweeds and nice,
striped shirts were removed three
years ago to make room for the
Nays blues and grays. Then
he was pretty pleased with HIM
self, | remember. He stole many
a surreptitious glance at the cut
of his uniform across the shoulders.
But that was months ago. No new
mother, throwing into the trash
those dreary garments she wore for
so many months before a blessed
event. was ever happier over a
change in costume than was Papa
last week on return to normally.
"On the great day OF his honor.
able discharge from the Navy, he
rushed into the house, peeled off
his uniform. And ran up to the at
tic for his beloved civvies. We
gathered about as Papa put on his
favorite brown suit and brown-and-
white shirt, and made fiattering
comments. But.
First OF all there were three
large moth holes-center front-in
Papa's brown suit. / anticipated
the usual struggle with the tailor
and an appalling bill to get them
rewoven.
And Papa's best brown hat
would definitely have to be re-
placed. The children had used It 4
for a football.
I'VE went on a shopping tour and
found the same discouraging short
ages as during the war. There
wasn't one broadcloth shirt any
where in Papa's size. All that one
mems wear department had to offer
was some $3.50 undershirts import
ed from Switzerland.
I'VE did buy Papa a new hat. It
looked very nice, as we'll Il might.
1t cost $40, We managed to find