My Mom's Blog by Thoroughly Modern Millie

Sunday, September 24, 2006

A MAN ON THE MOON
It was in the 50's, when a fellow wanted to impress a girl he would invite her to the Statler Hotel, Terrace Room.. It was a beautiful hotel in the heart of Boston. Not only did they serve a fine dinner, people came from all over to indulge in their famous and luscious dessert, Baked Alaska.

In addition to the beautiful surroundings and fine food they featured big bands for dancing. You couldn't ask for a better place to enjoy an evening.

Well, it was my good fortune to be asked by my "first time date" to join him for an evening at the Statler Hotel. We had drinks, dinner and that wonderful dessert and danced to the music of a great band.

All in all it was a very enjoyable evening - and then the bill came!! My date did not have enough money to pay the bill and I only had "some mad money." This took place in the 50's, that was long before credit cards were available. I could just see the two of us doing dishes in the kitchen!! What a way to wind up such a nice evening. And my poor date, he was so embarrassed.

My date told the manager that he lived near by and asked could he leave and return with the additional money. Fortunately he agreed and let the two of us leave. When I think of it now, that manager had to be the most understanding person -- he realized what an uncomfortable situation it was for us and just trusted that we would be back.

There are two things that I remember about that fellow: First, the fact that he took me on such a nice date and then couldn't pay the bill.

The second thing I remember about him is expressing his strong feelings about someday the United States would land a man on the moon. Well, I could not imagine that, remember that was in the 50's.

He was unprepared to pay the bill at the Statler but he knew what he was talking about when he spoke about space. Neil Armstrong landed on the moon in 1969. - about 15 years after our conversation.

posted by millie garfield @ 4:50 PM | Permalink | I LOVE COMMENTS >>

Comments:

I can't imagine how embarrassed he must have been, Millie. Why on earth didn't he find out how much an evening there would cost before going?

# posted by

kenju : 1:43 AM

I thought your post was going to conclude "and my date's name was Neil Armstrong"... But I was wrong KP

# posted by

Anonymous : 9:40 AM

What an inspirational post. Mr. Armstrong knew what he wanted, and simply stuck with it. 15 years is a long time, but he still did it nonetheless.

I wish I could've seen the both of you back at the hotel, with the smugness of hindsight, and watch him take about landing on the moon with such "strong feelings." :)

# posted by

Anonymous : 3:07 PM

Sorry if I'm posting consecutively, but I found of picture of Mr. Armstrong taken in 1956. Maybe it'll help refresh your memory or something...

# posted by

Anonymous : 3:23 PM

Oh, Millie, you have sparked a memory about one of my dates with my not yet husband. I know just how you felt and it was back in the 50's too....1958 to be exact.
I spent lots of time in Boston but was never fortunate to have the Baked Alaska there. Lucky you.

# posted by

Ginnie : 4:54 PM

Did you ever go out with that earnest young man again?

I was waiting for you to tell me that he later became the CEO of some huge company or maybe just an accountant in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

You should google his name and find out for us.

# posted by

Anonymous : 2:47 AM

;Good Morning Millie, After three weeks I just opened my computer to find an embarrassing moment turned into a pleasant memory in time. Whatever happened to that fellow?
Today if a bill was not paid and there were no credit cards they would send him to get the cash and hold you for hostage.
That was a beautiful story.

# posted by

Anonymous : 3:45 AM

Great story, Millie and it reminds me of my blog a couple weeks ago as this happened to Ray and I in Paris. Thankfully, that manager was just as understanding as yours.
The moon part reminded me of Ralph Cramden on The Honeymooners went he used to tell Alice, "I'm going to send you to the moon, Alice" and we all thought, "YEAH, right!"

# posted by

Anonymous : 8:59 PM

Yes, in the 50's, whoever would have thought we'd ever really land on the moon. As I recall, the joke was the moon was made of green cheese, and many other stories that were told.

Remember the tune "Fly Me To The Moon" ..."and let me drift among the stars" and so many other romantic "moon" verses in songs in those days?

I loved your reference to "mad money." I remember when my daughter was a young girl going off for a summer camp in Colo. for the first time. I slipped her some cash and told her it was "mad money." She had never before heard that expression, so I had to explain it. She still talks about that. Don't think the expression has been in use much for many years, has it? At least it wasn't in use in her generation.

# posted by

Anonymous : 2:39 AM

Hi to all my blogging buddies who made comments re "A Man on the Moon--

Saz, You are right in saying he was smart but not on the practical side.

Peggy, You asked if I went out with him again, yes I did - he showed up an hour late for the date and did not explain or say that he was sorry - that was the end of him. I don't know whatever happened to him, he sure did not land on the moon. ;-)

Kenju, Apparently he couldn't plan ahead, couldn't figure out what the evening would cost or figure out how long it would take to get to his destination.

Rico, My date, unfortunately was not Neil Armstrong. Thanks for sending me that handsome picture of Neil.. He sure was cute!

Joared , Your explanation of "Mad Money" was great. A lot of young people today would not be familiar with that expression. ;-)

# posted by

Anonymous : 5:51 PM

Millie, thanks for the visit. The shopping bag pictures were sent to me in email by a friend, as a lot of my fun stuff is. I am indebted to my email buddies; some current friends and some old school chums.

# posted by

kenju : 6:52 PM

I am happy to join some girls of my generation ! For me it's more the early 60 and there you also could do things you would never dare to do today. I've written this in my writer blog "funny situations"
When Armstrong landed on the moon, I were just preparing our wedding and my fiancee called me that a man had landed on the moon ! That has been something. Later on he came to Brussels and stayed in the Hilton where my husband worked at that time and he got an autograph from him which I still have hanging framed in our living room !!!

# posted by

Gattina : 3:58 AM