Staten Island

The Gangster - Hugh Crawford put down his shovel. HMS Mosquito needed no more coal as she eased up to the Staten Island pier she would share with HMS Scorpion. A 24-hour leave took Hugh and his pals to half a dozen water front saloons. Finally to Angelo‘s, then across the street to “Mothers“ and the arms of Mary Kate. It was that night and those arms that, at war’s end, brought Hugh Crawford back to Staten Island.

The Musician - Sitting on the ferry boat bench Chuck Stacey’s mind drifted back to the day Tom Kravitz called: “Chuck, Henry Love is here today but his drummer got arrested and he won’t do a show until he can get a replacement. I told him you could do it. He said he would listen to you.”

After more than a year with Henry Love, he and two pals struck out on their own and here they were on a boat to Staten Island and a New Year’s Eve Ball. Not exactly the “big time” they had dreamed of.

The Lovely Young Lady - News that Chuck Stacey’s Orchestra would play at the ball sent shivers of excitement up and down her spine. He must be the same Chuck Stacey she sang with two years ago in Uncle Belinni’s Chicago saloon. Getting to that ball became the most important goal in her life.