l i f e
the carolina
contributions
christopher@30seconds.org
Tonight Beck and I went to the Carolina Theater. The Carolina is an old restored theater downtown usually used for small productions. It has tall marble columns with gold leafed Corinthian tops. It has broad staircases circling around to the second floor where you can use an interesting system of pulleys to open windows eighteen feet in height. I sometimes open them and let in the night air. You can't smoke inside or I would, just to sit on the ledge of that window and blow smoke out over the marquee of the Carolina, watching it drift down Greene St. to mix with car exhaust and steam from the manhole covers.
But not tonight. Tonight was an unusual night for the Carolina. It was open for its original purpose, movies. The feature, "From Here To Eternity". They always show classics when they show films, and they are always so much more impressive on a big screen in the dark with the dull glow of the exit lamps pointing to the right and left. Halfway down the isle on each side are two deco statues, also marble. Tonight they were dressed. Dressed in God awful bikini suits and grass skirts. Sometimes the volunteers at the Carolina go overboard, but all in good fun. The seats are well worn even though the place has been restored. They're wood, oak I think, and they lean way back.
I'd never seen the film, so here's the run down. The last days before Pearl Harbor. The world knows war is coming. The world seems to look forward to it in a very glamorous way. The world really revolves around the lives of six characters. A passive catalyst. A stereotypical All-American hero. Frank Sinatra, who is but, Frank. (They say the Mafia got him the role) Two women. Both coming to terms with themselves and...you guessed it...the men they love. And throw in one un-stereotypical All-American hero for good measure. If you haven't guessed by now, both hero's get the girls...for awhile, and Frank plays the comedy and sympathy angle until he gets killed. And the catalyst is, well, by definition a catalyst for these events. Hollywood. The classics are great. The birth of acting. It was wholly different then. Expression over exaggerated, allusions thrown in your face without any subtle refrain. Wonderful entertainment.
After the film I went to the book store to look up something. Found it. JG26. Found what I was looking for, or at least as close as I'm gonna get for awhile. I found that in April of '43 the allies first showed up with the P-47 over Europe. JG26 was there, in Bf-109G's. This will only make sense to some of you, but bear with me. In all of the Luftwaffe, in all of Europe, I was able to find the roster for JG26 in April of 1943. Only commanders are listed by name but it all comes down to this. JG26 was divided into four Gruppes. Only one flew the Bf-109. That Gruppe consisted of 18 serviceable planes (four complete staffels, two spare aircraft) and 25 pilots. That's the key. One of twenty five. Tonight I greet the dream with some names.
goodnight 7.15.98
