Just a Kid from Hell's Kitchen - In Remembrance of TC Murray

True to form, Aunt Betty took her favorite nephew to the Fair in 1939. I remember this
awesome experience – beholding the sphere and trilon in Flushing Meadows Park. I
remember being walked through the Fair, hand in hand with my aunt, as the trams’ horn
signaled in melodic tones to clear the way for this people mover. Unfortunately, I do not
remember visiting the General Motors Pavilion or some of the other world of tomorrow
exhibits. Anyway, as a young kid of six, I’m sure that I enjoyed the day.
In 1940, the Ninth Avenue Elevated Line, the “el”, was torn town. Aunt Betty, sensing
that her seven-year old nephew would like to become part of an historical local event,
arranged to take me on the last ride of the Ninth Avenue on June 12, 1940. And boy, was
that an event and a half. We boarded the jam-packed train at the 59 th Street Station and
we chugged our way down to the last stop – South Ferry (Battery Park). It was fun to
watch the crowd climbing out the windows, grabbing “South Ferry” signs, and having
one good time. Now I would no longer have to hear the noisy train beneath my window.
In the summertime, in the days before AC, it was necessary to leave your windows open
and the noise could be somewhat bothersome. Actually, it was part of the scene and I
missed it. I remember waking up on Christmas morning 1940, only to find there was noel.
Oh yes, we sold the scrap iron to Japan on a “cash and carry” basis. Japan would return it
to us a year later in the form of bombs and bullets, December 7, 1941 to be precise.
In the meantime, young Tommy was preparing to deal with the challenges that lay ahead,
the greatest of which was Delia’s Secret.