The Fitzgeralds
WOR Radio
NY, NY
1963
No matter where you were in our
house, you heard the Fitzgeralds, Pauline and Ed; Not because they were loud
but my mother kept the radio on in the living room, the kitchen and her
bedroom. So the Fitzgeralds’ voices
filled the house as my mother roamed from room to room, managing all aspects of
the household. Maybe they were not on
all day. But as a kid, home from school
because of illness, it seemed as if they spoke to me all day as I lie in bed
and fell in and out of sleep.
They were live from radio WOR, live
from New York City. They aired their show right out of their apartment in
midtown, Manhattan. Their backs were to
the windows which showed a landscape of skyscrapers, and they would frequently
comment on sights and sounds right outside their window.
I never saw a photo of these two people. But I imagined Pauline to be tall, with snowy
white hair which was pulled tight and up in a knot on top of her head. She
always wore a dress. She wore pearls. Her nails were well groomed. Ed would be
portly, with a thick head of hair which would match his thick voice. He wore a tie. He seemed less polished than Pauline. Maybe he stuffed himself in to his
clothing. I don’t know why I thought
this; maybe because his voice was gruff. I always suspected that she sometimes
corrected his language or train of thought before it strayed too far away.
Who was my mother listening to? A radio talk show all the way around the
world. Weren’t there shows in Philadelphia
worth of her interest? In my mind,
midtown Manhattan was a world away from Philadelphia.
Their topics were interesting but
always benign, purposely pleasant. They talked
about art and museums and cultural event.
They never took a political stand on anything; there was no controversy,
just information on how to live a culturally rich life in downtown Manhattan. They
talked in detail about displays at the Natural History Museum, exhibits at the
public library, the beauty of Jackie Kennedy, and great works of literature. They recalled moments in history: Presidential elections, Kennedy’s death,
landing on the moon.
They went to plays and came back
and gave us rave, detailed reviews of Oklahoma, Fiddle on the Roof and
Brigadoon. The music was always
grand. The costumes were spectacular. And the audience was described as being
overjoyed with entertainment. They introduced me to the Ritz Carlton, Central Park,
high tea, Broadway, ice skating at Rockefeller Center, the Rockettes and Radio
City Music Hall, The Macy’s parade, lox and bagels, Tiffany’s, Stanley’s on the
Green and 5th avenue.
As they talked, they filled me with
a sense of wonderment. It was like listening
to wise, old grandparents. And I
remember thinking to myself, as an 8 year old, and as audacious as it seemed at
the time: “Someday I am going to go to New York City.”
