March 17-19, 1977

Forgive me if I fail to do justice to one of the greatest escapades that I’ve ever been involved in. However, I’m not sure that even Hemmingway could adequately describe what it must have been like to have City L, Accu Jack and myself on the loose at daybreak in Manhattan. As with most stories I will begin at the beginning.

City L aka Tim Getzloff, a 328 Club resident and future 340 Clubber, was in New York City at a college newspaper conference. Since he obviously needed legal representation I had made arrangements to join him in the Big Apple on Friday afternoon, the 18th. Accu Jack Kelly who had accompanied me on my 1975 and ’76 St. Pat’s Pub Crawls had taken employment in New York as a maître’d at a popular French bistro – The Magic Pan. We would be meeting Jack on Saturday.

After arising on the feast day I went in to work at City Hall and gave the taxpayers their moneys worth. I then took a leisurely walk home, beginning at the Swamp Fox, stopping for some green beer at several places (Kramers, Soldners, Johnny's)on my way home. Tim Kelly, Accu Jack’s brother, was having a St Pat’s party and being it was just around the corner from the 340 I was planning on attending. It turned out to be a great party and as the luck of the Irish would have it I awakened on Friday morning in a strange bed in the arms of a lovely damsel (#25). After the obligatory politesse I adjourned to the AMTRAK station to catch the New York train.

Upon arriving in NYC it was off to the journalism convention to meet City L. It is here where for some reason my memory gets a little hazy. I’ll give you my best recollection and seek input/critique from both of the other two witnesses (and who knows maybe a 3rd). I believe Tim was busy at the conference and I likely entertained myself in Fear City that evening. From the looks of the photo the hotel room was quite a party in its own right.

On Saturday, after checking out of the hotel and saying good bye to the conference, City L, myself, and Andi Schreiber – a co-ed member of the Millersville State College 4th estate (you may recall Andi has already appeared in this blog in that crazy ad libbed play which chronologically speaking likely occurred after this trip) – were off to see some sights. Accu Jack joined us and played the role of tour guide. We went up to the top of the World Trade Center. Andi dutifully taking pictures. It is a very recent memory – i.e. Andi even being there – but someone had to take the pictures and since they don’t seem particularly posed (as if we passed a camera to a bystander) that provided reinforcement to my belief that she was present. At some point Jack departed to go to work at The Magic Pan and the three of us were off to paint some of the big city. We visited a few watering holes in Gotham, Toots Shors, dinner at The Magic Pan, the Monkey Bar at the Elysees, and finally we took in some comedy at Catch a Rising Star where if I’m not mistaken – something I ate must have disagreed with me – I took sick in the women’s room. Needless to say we were asked to leave. Now it was onto a subway and out of Manhattan. We got to Jack’s a bit before he did and his sister was a great host. Making sure that we were able to replenish our liquids after a tough night on the town. Tim, Andi & I were likely eyeing up sleeping spaces with tired eyes and may have actually slipped off to sleep when … the door opened and a madman leaped in … it was Accu … now off work and full of fire. Get up! Let’s go! Unlike Tim & I Jack had spent the night working and now he wanted to unwind and he had two visitors from Lancaster to do it with. It didn’t take us long to throw some water on our face and get ready to hit the streets again. First we needed to deter – successfully – Andi from thinking she was coming with. This was a men only trip. It was still dark but the Fat Female Rooster was warming up.