Chapter 8, Meeting My Grandparents

I graduated from High School at the age of 17, with the class of 62', and went to work in “The Hamburger Hut” as a “fry cook.” I worked there about six month, bought a car (a 1957 Pontiac), and things were going great. One day I got the idea to travel to England to see my grandparents. Over the next few months I saved a few dollars, sold my car, and bought a ticket on the “Queen Mary,” sailing from New York in April.  This is the same ship that is now parked in Long Beach, CA as a tourist attraction.

I got my passport and prepared to make the long journey across country for the second time. Just so I could claim the accomplishment, I went to see my “Uncle George” in San Francisco so I could claim that I had hitchhiked from Coast to Coast. I took the Cable Car to Fisherman’s Wharf, where I started my hitchhiking journey. After the first day I was only in the foothills of the Sierra’s, and spent the night in a cheap motel.

The next day, I got a ride from a nice family who took me all the way to Chicago. I was making good time. While I was in Chicago, I heard about a company that delivers automobiles to other states, and I was all lined up for an auto when they discovered my age. I was only 18 and couldn’t be insured. I then took a subway trying to get to the East side of town where I could pick up another ride. To my dismay, the subway trip ended right in the heart of the worst area of Chicago. I didn’t want to exit the train, but the conductor told me it was the last trip of the night and he wasn’t going back. Uneasily, I started on foot toward the main highway. Other than a few derisive remarks from the black folks, I managed to find the highway and my next ride, which took me all the way into New York City. I spent the night at the YMCA, and the next day visited Central Park and the Statue of Liberty.

I was only in New York for about 4 days before my ship was scheduled to depart.  I killed some time by playing pool in the YMCA's game room with some of the locals, only to find out that the "Y" was serving as a halfway house for wayward juveniles!  Like the song "Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)" by the Hollies, I was in a "nest of bad men" without the benefit of the woman, or working for the FBI.  After boarding the Queen Mary I found my room, which was shared with another person, and toured my new surroundings. It was very exciting and before we left port, I roamed the ship from one end to the other. There were many other people in my age group, and we all managed to find each other.  The trip took about 5 days, which was one continual party and my first experience at drinking alcohol legally.

After partying for 5 days, I arrived at Southampton and found the train that was going to London. It was late at night when I finally arrived at St. Pancras Station and located the train I needed to get to Burton-On-Trent, the home of my grandparents. I boarded the train and found a room that I had all to myself. I soon dozed off as the train headed out across the English countryside. It was a local train, making many stops, and I did not expect to arrive in Burton-On-Trent until early morning. I was resting comfortably when I suddenly felt a chill in the air that woke me up. I was surprised to see that another strange looking chap with a single upper tooth in his head had joined me in the compartment, and had opened all the windows!! He sat there with several layers of overcoats on while I fought the chill. Finally, I got up and closed the windows and told him if he was hot to remove some of his overcoats. He did not argue with me, but proceeded to tell me that he had just been released from a mental hospital. He was probably trying to intimidate me, but it didn’t work. We passed the remainder of the trip peaceably.

Once in Burton, I caught a double decker bus to 36 Blackthorn Road, Stapenhill, the address of my grandparents.

I arrived early in the morning and my grandmother actually recognized the suitcase I was carrying (from a trip my mother and sister had taken several years previous) and ran out the door to greet me. I had not told them I was coming. They lived in government housing, and heated and cooked with coal. They were delighted when I chopped a months supply of wood kindling for them, and never forgot it. They were a very nice old couple, and I regret that the exuberance of my youth prevented me from getting to know them better during my stay. It seemed like I always had other things to do.

Next: Adventures In England