SHARED STORIES:
Manhattan in the Thirties - C. Irwin

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            Living in New York during the Great Depression held some real challenges particularly for teens born in that decade. Money was scarce but free entertainment—or almost free—was attainable. With the advent of Franklin D. Roosevelt becoming our president in 1932 and enacting the New Deal, there were many programs created to provide relief, new jobs and stimulate economic recovery. One of these programs was the WPA, Workers Progress Administration, which provided work for millions of Americans. Among those were the unemployed in the cultural arts: musicians, writers and artists.

            Musicians were a boon to all of us, particularly teenagers. We had the good fortune to attend free concerts and operas in the parks, go to dances held on the pavilions of government buildings and see plays for free or at nominal costs.

            While my beau, later to be my husband, and I never missed a chance to attend these events, we also had all of Manhattan to explore for only a five cent train ride. Subways were a thing of the future; so we rode the elevated trains.

            In Manhattan, we frequented museums: Metropolitan Museum of Art (my favorite), the Museum of Natural History (his favorite), the Frick Museum and the Whitney Museum.

            Eating out in Manhattan was the most fun ever. With a mere thirty cents between us, we were able to enjoy a sumptuous lunch of a luscious, juicy giant-sized hot dog smothered in freshly made sauerkraut on the most delicious hot dog roll, two giant-sized drinks with enough money left over for ice cream on a hot waffle.

            One of our favorite restaurants sprung up in the mid-30s: Chock Full of Nuts. It was a counter service restaurant where diners sat side-by-side. They offered a most delicious sandwich that consisted of cream cheese loaded with walnuts on the best raisin bread I ever tasted as well as their coffee, which I believe is still being sold. The sandwich was five cents and included a cup of coffee. Subsequently, they began offering hot dogs as well as other types of sandwiches.

            On one our excursions, we decided to see a movie at the Paramount, a popular movie house of the day on Broadway. After the show, we headed to our favor Chock Full of Nuts restaurant. We bought the New York Daily News to read while we ate. I ordered my usual cream cheese on raisin bread and Roger asked for a hot dog. Sitting alongside him was a woman who asked for a hot dog as well. The three of us were served simultaneously. Deeply engrossed in the newspaper, Roger was the first to gobble up his food. Without looking or even thinking, he reached down and grabbed his neighbor’s hot dog. He was just ready to bite into it when the woman, horrified, yelled. “Hey! Hold it mister! You’re eating my food.” Then she added, “If you’re that hungry, I’ll buy you one.”

            Sheepishly, Roger placed her hot dog back on her plate, apologized; then embarrassed and chagrined, we both grabbed our belongings and made a mad dash out of the restaurant. Once we were out of sight, we stopped running and doubled over with laughter. Roger’s only comment, “I really did want that hot dog,” made us laugh even harder. It was the best entertainment of the afternoon,

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