The Key West citizen., 1952-10-04
BY GLADYS JACKSON
tconfinusd From Wednesday,
October J., 1887

SLAP COluPduy NAtAtouL q patty
Commander jim Nixon was also
asking himself this, and did some
thing about it forthwith. A quick
consultation with the Captain, an
otaer with Manager Levy of the
t7yrtle Bank Hotel, and plans were
erway. Additional help appear
e3 on the scene in the person Of
cctor of u. S. o. activities in
6lagston during World War l. She
Was contacted and proved to be
charming and lovely person. We'd
like to add here and now, that Com
mander Nixon from that day for
ward became to all of us "Jeem"
as in Miss DeSousa's funny little
accent. Sixty lovely girls were
rounded UP, former u. S. o. hos
tesses. OF course it would be too
much to expect that all sixty such
lovely girls should remain in single
blessedness since 1945, and they
didn't, but being patriots all, all
sixty were there husbands wait
ing patiently out in the gardens or
On the patios.
A sinister but funny note was In
iected earlier when we decided
that we couldn't do without a
Chinese dinner at Madam Cha
Fong's roadhouse. This on the
advice of the Citizens Jim Cobb
whose nostalgia for Kingston is en-
tirely understandable We couldn't
seem to contact anyone who had
even heard of the good Madam
until our waiter in the Marine
Lounge volunteered to find out. He
returned and mysteriosuly told us
to go to the Starter and ask for
Taxi driver, one Spence.
Thus It was we insisted on
Spence. II took some time to locate
him but finally he showed up in his
big old 1881 Cadillac limousine
touring car. He was a talkative
little black, with very precise Ok
fordian English. BY devious neck
breaking highways and byways
with only stops for water for the
steaming old hack, we wound out
into the hills of Kingston. We
couldn't seem to arrive at a price
for the trip beforehand, Spence in
sisting on settling later" We were
driven into walled court yard
faint green light. Backing, weav-
ing and snorting, the old bus was
finally parked directly up against
the building. From this seemingly
deserted place instantly poured a
whole stream Of colored men. But
Spence was entirely In charge of
the situation. Waving them back
nonchalant hand, Spence said,
"Everything's fine. No trouble
YET" Then he turned around,
and still in that precise Oxford
English, went on as follows; Now
want you to understand, ! have
done exactly as you asked. / have
not tried to mislead you. This is
Madam Cha Fong's roadhouse.
However Madam is not here. Ma
dam IS in the States. In fact Ma
dam has not been here for two
years" Inquiry elected the fact
that not only was Madam gone, but
so was the food department, and
the place was now a club which
did not usually cater TO white folks.
Then Spence became very hurt.
We had not explained that we want
ed TO eat, we had only told him we
wanted to go to Madam Cha Fong
and he had taken us. So we said
no, all we wanted to do was eat, he
would please take us back to the
hotel and we were so confused We
didn't remember If we had said
anything about Chinese food or
not. But Spence was adamant. We
wanted Chinese food, Chinese food
we were going to get II Spence had
20 cook Il, but first Of course. we
would pay him five American
dollars for bringing us to the Road.
house. We were more than ready
70 pay Spence when we got back,
but Il didn't look like we were
going to get back il the five dollars
wasn't forthcoming. =. and quickly.
The five dollars was paid,
Then followed another wild ride
with stops for water Of course,
clear 10 the other side of King st.
this much / recognized, 70 an
even more desperate part Of town.
Up 60 the curb with a flourish,
Spence descended and told uS to
hold tlrht. He, Spence would recon
nolter q little and find us y place
where we could dine sumptuously
on Chinese food, and not be
cheated He disappeared down
very dark alley to the left and was
eaa about ten minutes. In the
ise, various taltered cha
were peering into the car
id / was beginning TO re-
the giiitering Reache0mher
on my person. Returning,
Importantly uShered Us out,
turned right up the alley,
walked across the street,
up the alley. and decided
I there that anything at all
by the good old Myrtle
k otel vas just what / had
a secretly plnlng TO est for