Up on the Roof Top

As Phil mentioned earlier, when Mr. Kratzert asked us to move from 340 to 338 in April 2003 I took the shortest route between the two structures – I went over the North Pole; over the roof.

In 1979 when I left 340 I to the Outpost of Humanity I was forced to use a vehicle. As I recall I had a small Chevy Chevette at the time. However, as Phil alluded too we had so few pieces of furniture I think it took me two or three trips in my car packed with clothes, records, books, APBA supplies, and stuff. It is likely that Jimmy Shay – my old and new roomie – borrowed a truck and we might have made one trip with a lamp, a chest of drawers, and maybe a chair. There was no bed; we all existed with mattresses on the floor. My signature maneuver in this first move was to toss, throw, and drop all my unbreakables (mostly clothes) out of the 3rd floor window and on to the West King Street sidewalk. I would then go down and collect them and put them in my car. I’m certain even Mrs. Garman had to be amused.

Well, as we left our beloved keystone address (328-340-340-338, get it?) I needed to once again have a signature maneuver. Tossing stuff out the window only to drag them back up to the third floor of the neighboring and attached structure made no sense. However it certainly gave me the insight as to what needed to be done. The way, clearly, was out the rear window of the 340 over the 52 inches of roof and into the back window of the 338.

By 1983 I maybe had two chests of drawers but still no box spring. I remember taking very little down and up the steps. Almost everything went out the window. In this way, Phil, Sil, John & Sue had a clearer path to move.

Although we had no way of knowing it at the time, particularly since Phil & I were negotiating with Mr. Kratzert to purchase the 338, the five of us had only 9 months together remaining and even the longest tenured residents of West King Street – Sil & I – were within 15 months of closing down the Club forever. Perhaps I shouldn’t say forever; the Third Coming has a nice ring to it.