I had difficulty sleeping that night. My thoughts were tumbling around in my head, while my body was tumbling around in my army cot. And as to remembering how I managed to leave from Camp Shanks, I have no image. I’m assuming that I spoke with my officer in charge , that I could get home on my own. “Could I be released now?. I can get home via train and subway to my home in Brooklyn” He okayed it.
I’m trying to recall my day when I left the camp. I remember going to the PX, to look for a gift for Shirley and that I purchased a bracelet that was designed in Greenwich Village. My next vision is waiting for her to appear in Penn Station and seeing her walk off the escalator to meet me.
I was asked by a family member.”How can you remember all those details of your 3 yrs in the army?”. Well,I must confess. It was not memory but it was all of the saved letters to Shirley, Blanche, Reggie, et al, and the photos I took from Spokane and thru the war. I’m glad that I have all of these records. Because, now I see that it’s easy to forget complete details and personal feelings of important moments in one’s life.
My next vision is seeing Shirley walking towards me. My heart thumped double time and we hurried towards each other and embraced. After a long kiss and a pause for breath, we decided to go to the Hotel McAlpin for supper and dance. In those days all hotels had swing bands and this one may have been Guy Lombardo. We practically had the floor to ourselves and we were in heaven gliding along to the music and holding each other tightly.
If I were writing a movie script of this scene, I would have Irv go up to the band leader and ask him to play a particular song for us. To honor my return after three Years in the army and this is our first meeting. He agrees.” What’s the song?” I then explain to him that ” While she was writing a letter to me, she was listening to the Andrew Sisters singing ” I’ll never smile again, until I smile at you”. I was reading this letter while sailing to No. Africa, 3 years ago”. You can announce this and I want to see her smile. I wish I had thought of this. It would have been appropriate.
I asked Shirley if she remembers how we left and when to go home and she has no vision of it. I’m assuming that I rode home with her on the subway line and then I left to go home to see my family. But I really have no vision of it.
