пятница, ноября 22, 2013
November 22, 2013
Fifty years ago today I was working at Welding and Steel Fabrication Co. in Tonawanda NY. As was the usual custom, the owner Frank L. would had out the weekly paychecks after lunch. He usually had a lame joke to tell as he walked around the shop.
When he handed me my check he said "The President has been shot". I looked at him dumbly waiting for the punch line. Then he went on to others.
About 30 minutes later all the welding machines in the plant suddenly began to shut down. Welders all over flipped up their hoods cursing who shut off their machine. The foreman Walt R. had pulled the 440 breaker and called over the crew.
Frank L. said "President Kennedy is dead. He was shot in Dallas". It was very quiet in that shop and finally Frank said, "Lets go home" It was about 2 pm and we left. My dad and I stopped at Mil-Sher bowling alleys on the way home to watch television. The place was mobbed and we left after a while. The road home was jammed with cars as a lot of people were going somewhere.
I went to the M&T bank to cash my check later. On Fridays it was usually jammed with long lines to the tellers as most were cashing their checks. The lines usually were full of chatter but today it was almost dead silent.
When he handed me my check he said "The President has been shot". I looked at him dumbly waiting for the punch line. Then he went on to others.
About 30 minutes later all the welding machines in the plant suddenly began to shut down. Welders all over flipped up their hoods cursing who shut off their machine. The foreman Walt R. had pulled the 440 breaker and called over the crew.
Frank L. said "President Kennedy is dead. He was shot in Dallas". It was very quiet in that shop and finally Frank said, "Lets go home" It was about 2 pm and we left. My dad and I stopped at Mil-Sher bowling alleys on the way home to watch television. The place was mobbed and we left after a while. The road home was jammed with cars as a lot of people were going somewhere.
I went to the M&T bank to cash my check later. On Fridays it was usually jammed with long lines to the tellers as most were cashing their checks. The lines usually were full of chatter but today it was almost dead silent.
