Milford chronicle., 1960-04-01
2S06 McAlister
Topeka, Kansas
March 2S. 1860

zSO6 McAliSter
Topeka, Kansas
March 2S. 1860
Dear Friends:
Last Saturday, a week ago. we
were still in Chicago enjoying our
stay in the Conrad-H Hilton Hotel.
It was fun just doing what we
wanted to do, no schedules to meet,
no work at the base waiting for
Hayes and the worry of the chill
dren was nil. too. since Mother
Dickerson was here in Topeka with
them.
We could have slept until noon
each day if we wished, but after
having had little ones in the house
for the past thirteen years our r0u-
tine had become too embedded in
our subconscious minds and we
were unable to sleep past our ear
ly waking hour This Saturday we
had planned to spend all morning
in two favOrite shops. was spend
ing all A. NJ. at Marshall Fields
and Hayes was slated to go to the
Allied Radio Corporation and delve
into all the electrical equipment
they had for sale.
The taxi driver who picked us
up at the hotel really was the basis
of all our misery. We didn't know
Chicago and he did. He should
have been a little more explicit in
his directions. We were at the
mercy of the big city but few
people seemed to care who we were
or where we were going. This was
really the way we wanted it be-
cause we just wanted to have fun
alone together, but at times little
more interest in the Dickersons
would have helped.
The taxi driver suggested at 1880
we meet in the Marshall Field cof-
fee shop. We asked if they didn't
have an EAGLE for a meeting
place (like the big department
store in Philly) or something SINH
lar. The business man behind the
wheel said he'd never heard
nothin' about the eagle" and with
this / exited from his cab and
watched Hayes get lost in the
crowd as he drove away.
MY fathers birthday is March 81,
so first bought him some birthday
candy, then | shOpped for scarf
to go with a suit, bought a wide
whale corduroy skirt on sale, and
just window shopped" from floor
to floor. Before l knew it my NOR
ming was gone and / asked for as
sistance 10 find the coffee shop
reached the 7th floor by elevator
and when | stepped out on that
floor / found in front Of me the
Narcissus room where shoppers
were lunching already. There were
benches near by and here / sat for
the next half hour waiting for
Hayes.
BY noon felt should inquire
again about this coffee shop" The
hostess told me this was one of five
on that floor. / left her without
word and scurried to the other eat
ing places to see If Hayes might
be waiting for me elsewhere. /
waited a full hour without too much
anxiety because / know Hayes and
his love for radio equipment and
time has fleeting way with him
when he is in such shops. / called
the hotel and left a message there
just in case he might be wondering
which of the five eating places at
Marshall Fields / had stationed
myself.
After two hours / had called the
hotel four times, had called the
electrical place twice (I can re-
member looking up their number
in the book and not remembering
the number long enough to dial it,
was near Mysteries by this time)
and had asked another native If
there might possibly be another
place that could be identified as the
marshall Field coffee shop" At
two o'clock / was so concerned
about Hayes / had begun to shed
tears. 1t wasn't even necessary
to hide my emotions for no one