This Halloween was the 50th anniversary of when my family moved from my hometown to NYC. It was in 1967 that I said goodbye to my friends, cousins, and grandmother to live in the fast lane of Manhattan. I traded my Brown cousins for my Guiher cousins, boys for girls. I was in the 10th grade and started at Rhodes School at 11 W 54th Street. NYC was totally magical. I took 2 buses to get to school from our 18th floor apartment at 89th and First Ave. I passed by the Plaza Hotel every day on my way to school and on the way home - I passed by the German bakery at 87th and First Ave. Often, I bought a piece of crumb cake and came home to watch all the little lights turn on the GW and Triborough bridges. We only lived there for 2 years and 2 months before having to move out to Yonkers where the rent was less dear.
Every Wednesday I would buy a Variety to see what auditions were available and keep in touch with the theatre world. I never actually auditioned for anything outside of school plays but I was ready should something wonderful become available. My residency in Manhattan seems like a really long time ago but the sights, sounds, and fragrance of NYC will remain with me forever. Our doorman's name was George.
