WHERE WERE YOU 1959? The man on the moon landing anniversary!
Mickey Rooney cast as the Andy Hardy of Judge Hardy’s family. (Lewis Stone, Fay Painter) in his role as a Western Union messenger to James Craig, manager father figure, delivering Defense Department wires to Gold Star mothers during World War2.
II
Hearing the Hospital for Special Surgery (WQXR) 13000 Storie’s“The World getting back in the game”, from the summer’s Central Park , Andy Hardy pedaling his two wheeler thru the meadows, toward the Brooklyn Bridge and Quentin Reynolds home in Flatbush, the columnist’s mother having a Gold Star in her window, between Glenwood Road and Avenue H’s local BMT station.
III
A Presidential campaign year, Andy Hardy cared no less about the campaign, the rough and tumble of politics (Ucla’s Dr. Titus (Machiavelli) “All the Kings Men”, the Hoftra Law School offering the saliva tongue lashing debate in September.
IV
The Gold Star mother’s digs weren’t anything like John Williams “Srtar Wars” in North Hollywood, but Andy Hardy under the guidance of hi cell phone Western Union manager (James Craig remember) had confidence that what he was paying outdelivering…these telegrams from the War Department of WW2 fatalities to the next of kin …in no way mitigate the genius of our Generals Marshall, “Ike” Omar Bradley.
V
How could Andy Hardy have known in those yesterdays growing up in those yesterdays of Flatbush…Jacdkie Robinson breaking the color line with theDodgers at Ebbets Field, that the masses some six or seven decades later, could not recognize what was playing out.
That a share cropper’s dream of a grandson oputof South Pasadena High, UCLA, WW 2, the Negro League, had a different skin pallor. The eye and hand coordination that was Branch Rickey(the Dodgers hiring exec).
VI
Andy Hardy, telegram in hand, rang the Gold Star mother’s doorbell.
July 20,2016 The City that never sleeps
