The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-09-25
COUNTRY BOY IN NEW YORK

ual breakfast on the train righ'
out of Washington Sunday morn.
ing. I had settled down to read.
ing fairly good book when {
beanpole of female person with
short hair and horn-rims sal
down beside me and opened ur
a book. Then she lighted Gig
arctic, stuck it straight up in the
air between her fingers while she
read, and allowed it to smoke
All the smoke finally came my
way, so badly had to get up and
leave. I made myself comfortable
in another seat, and was half way
amused by a colored girl with
pants on, across the aisle, who sat
up on the arm of her seat, back
to me, her feet on the seat, and
carried on with her boy friend
next the window.
At Newark a beautiful girl got
on and sat down beside me.
learned she was going over to
New York to take in show with
her boy friend, she plans to get
a new secretarial job and go over
seas; she knew some people
know near Newark. I concluded
she will 60 anywhere she wants
to go. She was pretty enough to
be North Carolina girl.
Over in Maryland Saturday, I
dropped nickel in slot mach
inc and got five in return. / quit.
My good luck had deserted me
when I got to New York. didn't
get a very good room. 1 had an
extra good one in Washington.
On the way to- the hotel in New
York, I saw another hotels sign
where stopped some Is years
ago. I was reminded of the time
they kept the pants of my one
good suit 1 had given them to
press, nor would the hotel ever
answer my letters.
went out to eat and it was
sort of rush hour, and I was slow
to get attention until a short bow
legged waitress came past, and I
said you're pretty woman; let's
take the day off and go to the
movies. Delight spread across her
face like an old maid discovering
a burglar under her bed. got
service. 81 wish I could go to the
movies" she said, "but the boss
won't let me off"
II wouldn't let you 60 either"
I said. I got good food and was
invited back for some special
BURBERRY pie.
New York is the lonesomest
place in the world, so l set out
on a stroll. The streets were full
of people. I soon found myself
being noticed. In puzzling about
the reason, I discovered I was the
only man on Broadway who had
on a hat, and that's no joke.
Since I knew no one and no one
knew me, it made no difference.
The folks who stroll up and
down Broadway include the most
gullible in the world, the most
freakish looking, with now and
then a good looking one. They
will stop to gawk at anything and
everything; they jam the side
walks and get in the way like
backwoodsers at country car
nival. I moved over to the curb,
got a note book and pencil, push
ed my hat on the back of my
head, and began writing down
the names of all the big electric
signs in sight. One said ''The
Moon is Blue" others said Can
adian Club" ''Pepsi Cola" "Ad-
miral Televsion" and so on.
Something jostled me so rudely,
my hat fell down at my feet, I
looked around to find a crowd
gathered about me to see what
I was writing and a fellow look
ing over my shoulder had brush
ed off my hat. l closed my book,
frowned at the crowd, who NOV
ed on while others came along
the hat left on the sidewalk, I
opened the notebook and several
people threw some coins in my
hat. Maybe this won't do" l
thought, so 1 picked up the hat,
took out the money and went two
blocks up Broadway. l put the
hat beneath my feet, got out my
book and began writing again.
Soon / heard some more coins
tossed in the hat.
Then / scowled, and said
"Allons, enfants de la patrie, LIE
Jour de gloire est arrived"
The, hat being an old one, I
took out the coins, and left it
where it was. I had $2.87 in all.
Without a hat l got no further
notice. The hat new, at Grants,
cost $1.85 in June.
I began looking for third dim
ension theatres, but my eye
caught a sign '8 Vaudeville
Acts" 1t cost $3.50. 1 next went
to see "The Moon is Blue" which
the girl on the train said she was