The Photographer's Boy by Stephen Bates

Author:Stephen Bates
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Open Road Media

Chapter Twenty-Four

The old man was fully rested now. “Well Jim,” said Alfred. “I rather think it’s time we went out to see the sights that the Big City has to offer. Would you care to come with us young lady?”

Annabelle needed no second introduction but in their bedroom Old Trumper was still snoring gently. Alfred prodded him unceremoniously, saying they were going out to view the sights. Trumper turned over but made no attempt to join them.

Alfred really wanted to see the Empire State building. He had heard tell of it, but could not quite believe it could be true: one of the wonders of the modern age: the tallest, grandest, most breath-taking building in the world. “I think we might hire a cab, don’t you?” he said in expansive mood, eyeing their old car sitting by the kerbside. And he stepped straight out into the path of a yellow car, holding up his hand and shouting.

The car braked and they could see it was a taxi. He got in and Jim and Annabelle followed. Alfred sat back in the seat, his arms outstretched along the upholstery and said in a lordly way: “The Empire State building if you please, my good man.” The driver in his peaked cap looked back quizzically and, finally deciding no insult was intended, edged forward into the traffic.

A haze rose off the streets. The air seemed to smell of gas and tar and the noise was louder than anything Jim had ever heard before. He looked out of the window at the people hurrying in their business suits with a kind of wonder. The hustle and rush of the men seemed to be the essence of commerce and the languid stroll of the women the epitome of elegance and wealth.

Nearly every doorway had a commissionaire in uniform and the noise and shouting, whistles and car horns, were deafening. Everything seemed heightened and more vivid. The colors were brighter, the noise louder, the movement more rapid. This sure beat the country.

Alfred was uttering small cries of astonishment as he too peered out: “Well, will you just look at that? Good Lord. Goodness me. You wouldn’t believe it. Gosh this has changed. What a place.”

“You guys new in town?” said the driver, glancing at them in his rear view mirror with a vulpine New York smile.

“Oh no,” Alfred said hastily. “I’ve been here many times before. It’s just it’s changed a bit recently. But I’ve got my bearings.”

“When were you last here?” said the driver, rolling the gum across from one side of his mouth to the other. “Oh, just a year or two back,” the old man lied. “It’s just all these buildings...so high these days. It’s hard to keep up...”

“It’s all right Grandpa, I won’t give you the fifty cent tour. I want to get home tonight,” said the driver. “I guess you really haven’t been around for a bit after all.”

Alfred admitted as much. “Not this century. But I fought with a New York regiment in the late, great, war.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.