The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1955-11-18
@ I | Nj P S E S
THE P A S T
By CAROLYN LLOYD

If the trip is running accord
ing to schedule, a busload of Bel.
haven Seniors is now in New
York. That may not mean much
to the citizens of New York, but
to the high school students it is a
momentous occasion, indeed. The
distance from Main Street, Bel
haven, to Times Square connot be
measured in mere miles. The trip
is a journey into another world
where the easy tempo of small
town living gives way to the bust
ling drive of the big city.
envy the young people the
thrill of the first visit, for
l remember the magic of New
York when, at eighteen, ]
first got off a bus in the
big city terminal, as green
for life with a capital L. Every
thing fascinated me-the lights,
the exciting game of lodging taxi
cabs to get across the street, the
babel of foreign tongues heard
everywhere, the variety of foods,
the wonders of the great stores, a
ride atop a Fifth Avenue bus-oh,
there was no end to the wonders
of the city. How strange it seemed
to go into a theater in the morn
ing (prices were cheaper before
noon) and sit through the stage
show at least twice. How wonder
full, indeed, my first visit to the
legitimate theater and how unbe-
lievable that l should be actually
seeing the great stars of whom l
had read. When funds were low,
there was no end to the free en-
tertainment available at the Mu-
scum of Natural History or the
Metropolitan or in the show win
dows of Fifth Avenue.
There were things that repealed,
as we'll as fascinated, for in that
depression summer, / saw in New
York the seamy side of life that
had previously been to me some
thing found only in books and not
related to real life at all. 1t was
real enough there. The men sleep
ing in doorways and on park
benches; the panhandlers every
where; glimpses into the windows
of dirty, crowded tenements; peo-
pie leaning from windows and sit
ting on stoops vainly trying to
keep cool; all the ugly pictures
drawn by poverty, ignorance, and
despair in the heartlessness of a
big city.
Of course, l made all the mis-
takes that a country girl cou,G
make. l rode until 1 finally learned
to squeeze into subway doris as
they were sliding shut, and to
hang to a strap like a veteran;
but for a long time that mode of
travel was a source of trouble.
rode miles beyond my station and
often enc. gcd at the wrong place
once finding myself in Brooklyn
and once in Chinatown. The Chi
nese shopkeerers standing jnno-
Gently in their doorways would
probably Lave been surprised t.
know the terror in my near7 as
scuttled down the street look.
ing for another subway station
l had never seen more than one
Chinese at {. time before, an.l thc>
used Co ra';e some pretty lu.:.,
movies abb 1t the pcrils If China.
town. The mistakes were all part
of the fun, though.
don't often go hankering after
the days of my youth, but it would
be nice to be eighteen again anc
seeing New York for the first time
AS matter of fact, it would be
nice just to be seeing New YorE
again. This time | could do with
out the long overnight bus tri,
and lodging the taxis and ever
riding in the subway, but / coulc
do with more money, too. Funny
how it takes more money to have
the same fun rs the years go by