Grenadines II

As a salute to the late Teddy Charles I am repeating my posting of 2/23/11 -

http://teejaysmith.blogspot.com/2011/02/grenadines.html?spref=fb

Jazz Plus

Last Saturday's NYTimes obituary page ran a feature on one "Teddy Charles , 84, Jazz Musician turned sea captain." When I still worked in Philadelphia in the 1970s I joined a sailing club working out of City Island in the Bronx run by Teddy Charles who had a schooner berthed there and took club members out on Long Island Sound for a week-end sail. The wind dictated whether we headed north to Connecticut for lobsters or to Greenport or Shelter Island in New York waters. One sunny Sunday afternoon while motoring back to base he suddenly cut the engines and we drifted right out in the middle of the Sound. Teddy then inflated six innertubes and threw them in the water followed by sunburned sailors and we had a water ballet going that would have impressed Billy Rose. Teddy had a U.S. Coast Guard license and taught me all about sailing. He was quite a character - his New York patois and bald head resembled Phil Silvers (Sgt. Bilko). We knew he was a musician but had no idea of his achievements as listed in the obit. He once told us of sitting in with Benny Goodman at the Paramount theater one New Year's Eve and said "the joint was jumpin". I sailed with him up the Hudson and down in the West Indies where he ran the 90 foot schooner TIKI among the islands. With passengers scarce he decided to carry cargo inter-island and won a contract (handshake) to carry rum
which denoted reliability and respectability. He knew I worked in the shipping industry so one day called me to ask "How much should I charge?" He was planning to sell the TIKI so I joined him in Antigua for the final voyage - he had his youthful crew stowing the cases of rum in the staterooms which the American Bureau of Shipping would frown on. So sailing down to Montserrat and Martinique we could hear the cargo creaking in the "hold". He had lumber lashed on deck and we felt like a genuine "rum runner." I bade farewell to him in Martinique as he was preparing to turn the boat over to the prospective new owner.
During the Bicentennial Celebration on July 4, 1976 Ted Charles had three boats in the spectator parade. The boats were being hosted by the yacht clubs on the Sound and I joined the MARY E  at Mamaroneck Y.C. and on Saturday we sailed down the East River single file and anchored just north of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge to await the Tall Ships on Sunday which was the greatest sight on water for this landlubber. Perhaps they can use a Coast Guard certified vibraphonist in Heaven.
tjs
Next - The Grenadines

New Year's Eve

Many of the tributes to Dick Clark included his longevity as host to festivities on New Year's Eve in New York City with the countdown to midnight, etc.  My earlier memory is of one of his predecessors  - old timers will recall Ben Grauer - a dapper and erudite gentleman - wearing a black homburg hat, a black overcoat and white scarf - atop the Times building in the 1970s. He had been a child actor on the stage, later went into radio and was never lost for words. He carried the program alone, unlike the pairings we are offered today. (Please pass the remote.) This was the era when Guy Lombardo ushered in the New Year at the Roosevelt Grill. Bing Crosby (White Christmas) and Guy Lombardo (Auld lang syne) both died in late 1977 - less than one month apart. At the time I wrote to my future wife that "they have snuffed out Christmas and New Year's with one fell swoop."
tjs
Next -TBA

Bandstand

Dick Clark who passed away yesterday at age 82 started his American Bandstand show in West Philadelphia at the old WFIL-TV studio. This location was within walking distance of several local high schools so he didn't want for an audience. The kids who made it in would eventually hit the dance floor and most probably be on camera for their fifteen minutes of fame. However, the Catholic high school girls all wore uniforms with their school insignias sewn thereon and they were forbidden by the nuns from attending this gathering. Of course, a few "brazen" individuals would hike up their hemlines a few inches and brave the consequences. But this was circa 1955 during the vanilla Eisenhower years and youth was not defiant back then.  Life wasn't always fair then either. R.I.P. Dick Clark, born three weeks after yours truly, you will be missed on New Year's Eve.
tjs
Next - TBA

Subway straphangers

When I worked in Lower Manhattan I often took the Lexington Ave. subway between Grand Central and Bowling Green. The following story is apocryphal but amusing - if you have ever ridden any subways.
This fellow lived in an apartment building on the east side of New York City.His lighting was provided by six foot long fluorescent bulbs. When one burned out he sought out the super for disposal. The super said he could not place it in the normal trash receptacle. What to do? He remembered that there was a dumpster downtown near his office so the next morning he entered the subway with briefcase and bulb in hand and since it was crowded he was forced to stand holding his six foot "pole" erect. (see photo) Soon more commuters entered the car and several began to hold onto his "pole". When his stop arrived he calmly let go and stepped off the train.
tjs
Next - TBA

Save the Brand

The Ford Motor Company has just announced a reduction in sales of their top-of-the-line Lincoln and have hired a designer away from Cadillac to reverse the trend and keep the brand from extinction. Lincoln has been under pressure before when certain quarters advocated the elimination of the one cent coin - the Lincoln penny. And Abe himself didn't fare too well at a certain FORD'S theater, either. Let's hope no one attacks Mt. Rushmore.
tjs
Next - Subway Straphangers

Green Pigs

The following datelined Canada 4/4/12 ver batim: A Canadian project aimed at creating a genetically engineered pig whose manure would be less harmful to the environment is being halted after failing to find a company willing to bring the animal to market. The less polluting pig, called the "enviropig" has a gene that allows it to better digest phosphorous in its food, therefore reducing the amount of phosphorous in the manure. The genetically altered pig was created using genetic material from a mouse.??? But farmers can now give pigs a supplement in their food to achieve the same end. unquote. NYT 4/4/12.
So hog bellies may be down in Chicago but the manure is pure in Canada. (Slow news day)
tjs
Next - Protect the Brand