"
And that was what happened. The store was out, but I got the
clothes.
THE PILOTS UNION
That evening we went to the Roosevelt Blue Room for 8 o'clock
dinner and floor show. I noticed a modestly, yet well-dressed
bald headed, rather heavy-set man of about 60 eating alone at the
next table. The waiters all knew him as did many of the customers
who passed.
I said to him, "You are alone this evening. Why not come over and
join us in dessert?"
He replied, "I shall be delighted, and consider it an hon'r to be
asked to join you and this charmin' young lady, but you must
excuse me from dessert." Turning to his waiter, he said, "Bring
the bucket over here if you will, Pierre." The bucket was a
bucket of Burgundy, fairly well gone. Naturally he asked us to
share it, and showed no resentment at our refusal.
It took only a few minutes to discover that our new friend was a
"trifle high," and gaining rather than losing altitude, as time
went on. He was a river pilot of long standing, and simply superb
at modest elevation.
Putnam County is a bit shy on pilots, but not New Orleans. If I
get the facts right, outbound and inbound ships have three
pilots--river, bar and the ship's regular pilot.
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