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5

night. The next morning, Whitey and I explained the whole affair to Brandy, who had cooled down considerably. We cleared Perk and we apologized. I also have a recollection of going to Brandy's house and apologizing to Billie. But none of this could undo what we'd done. We did manage to get it patched up but it was just that, a patched—up job at best.  Moreover,Perk resented strongly Brandy‘s accusation that he was responsible and I'm afraid the thing left a permanent dislocation in their previous friendship. The whole sorry affair demonstrated beyond doubt what asses too much alcohol can make of otherwise reasonably well-behaved grown—up men. It was a shame and I still cringe within myself when I think of it. In the intervening forty years, I'm sure I've had a few somewhat similar experiences, but nothing that has ever even remotely approached this in utterly ghast1y embarrassment.

Ironically, this deplorable incident occurred during a gorgeous January thaw when it seemed more like early April than mid—winter and we should have been happy instead of mortified. A few days after the debacle, Perk and I drove to North East for lunch at Tefft's diner. It was a beautiful clear day with the lake as blue as May and not a sign of ice. At one time in December, the Bay had been frozen over enough to permit skating but that had long since gone. We were having another open winter with no snow to speak of and frequent warm days--and with its salutary effect on the heating bill, this was welcome indeed. A couple of days after the Brandenstein affair, while driving to work, the sky was somewhat overcast, but out over the lake, there were a few breaks where the pale blue shown through. In one of these openings, as though framed, floated a great white full moon. It was most unusual and made a lovely picture.  Perhaps it was a good omen, because we were at last nearing the end of the Great Depression although we didn't yet know it. For Roosevelt would not be inaugurated until March 4th and even then, there would be a number of months before the New Deal would begin to become effective at all. But the tide was soon to turn--and none too soon.

On the day of the inauguration, every bank in the country closed. The Company met its payroll with "drafts" which the Company would redeem at their face value as soon as the banks opened again. I'm including instructions covering these drafts dated March 9, 1933 and signed by H. L. R. Ehmet. which accompanied payment, as well as a couple of stubs. My pay that week will be noted to have been $40.40, the munificent sum on which we were living somehow. Evidently, I had by that time been reduced to a 4—day week. I remember there were some who were on a 3—day week by this time. And, of course, there were many who had been let out completely such as Ted Elliot. I was among the lucky ones.

We think we are living in difficult times right now in 1973 with the inflation and the energy crisis and Watergate. But compared to the spring of 1933, today conditions are heavenly.