‘I Noticed a Man Sitting Across the Room in a Booth’

Christmas ’64

Dear Diary:

It was the week after Christmas 1964. I was a Delta stewardess on a 24-hour layover staying at the Belmont Plaza Hotel at Lexington and 49th Street.

I went on a marathon shopping spree, taking advantage of the after-Christmas sales. Afterward, I returned to the hotel restaurant for dinner.

I noticed a man sitting across the room in a booth. He came over and introduced himself. He was a naval aviator on leave and enjoying New York City.

We had dinner together. I excused myself early as our crew had a 5 a.m. wake-up call. When it came, we were told our flight had been canceled until the next day. Something about fog in Atlanta.

I went down to the restaurant for breakfast and the aviator was there. We had breakfast together. Later we visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art and had lunch.

That night we saw the play “Ben Franklin in Paris” and had dinner at Jack Dempsey’s restaurant. I think Dempsey was there that night.