Hi Bill,
This morning I woke up thinking about when I was living on
North Craig Street in Pittsburgh while I was a student at Pitt. I had lived in
Tower A (dormitory) for two years and decided that I had had enough of that. So Richard, Jim, Joe and I moved into a two bedroom apartment in that
area several blocks from campus. After a year living with them I moved into a
one-room apartment of my own. You may remember that I wrote about living in
that area in my last letter. I don’t want to repeat myself, although with my
feeble memory I could easily cover the same ground without knowing it.
 |
| Clark back in the late 1960s and early 70s |
Anyway, today I thought about that neighborhood and
remembered two establishments where I spent a lot of time and money. You may
have already guessed that those two establishments were bars. Yes, I admit it!
I drank a lot when I was in college (and for many years after that). I never
really considered that I had a drinking problem, because everybody in college
drank a lot. Didn’t they? Well, most of my friends drank a lot. Of course, my
affinity for alcoholic beverages actually began while I was in high school, but
I think I probably already covered that in some previous letters.
There were two bars on North Craig Street where I (and my
friends) hung out.
The Luna was a typical college bash bar that played loud
music and attracted college students mostly from Pitt, but also from Carnegie
Mellon University. I began partying in The Luna during my junior year even
before I turned 21. I was usually able to sneak past the bouncer when the crowd
was overwhelming him. After I turned 21, The Luna remained my bar of choice and
my friends and I became regulars since we lived practically right across the
street from it. The Luna was a large bar that was more like a nightclub for college
students. It had a u-shaped bar that extended out from one of the walls, with
seating around it and plenty of space to stand and dance and generally let your
freak flag fly. Although, during weekend evenings it was extremely crowded and actually
difficult to move around in. However, the music was loud and the beer was
great, so we spent many hours drinking and talking (actually yelling at each
other because of the loud music and other yelling people) in The Luna. It makes me realize
what an idiot I was back then when I think about it! The thing was though - I
liked the crowded Luna and after a few beers I didn’t even notice that the
crowd was full of drunken college students who couldn’t control their emotions
and actions, or even keep their liquor down. Anyway, The Luna was a typical
college bar where we could party, dance, yell, drink and totally lose control
of ourselves. I spent many enjoyable hours doing that (which I often could not
even remember the next day) and I also spent lots of money (which I couldn’t
really spare) in The Luna.
During the summer after my junior year in college, I met Pat
and instantly fell in love with her, although it took me awhile to convince her
to hang out with me. Eventually she even accompanied me to The Luna. Although
she was under 21, she was usually able to slip by the person checking IDs at
the door. However, she gradually convinced me to not spend as much time in The
Luna, and I didn’t seem to mind that at all.
Okay so I am supposed to be writing about two bars, not my
love life.
The second bar was practically across the street from The
Luna in distance, but it was a long ways away in ambience. Chief’s was a small
neighborhood barroom that had a bar with a row of stools along it and some
seating booths along the wall across from the bar. Most of the customers were
older people who had been imbibing there for many years. However, some
college-aged people also frequented it. I and some of my friends went to Chief’s
when we just wanted to sit and have a beer and talk for a while. In addition,
we sometimes had a hardboiled egg and toast or some other quick food. It was a
comfortable place where pretty much anyone was accepted as long as they
remained cordial and under control. A few of my friends and I went there fairly
often to sit, relax and talk. It certainly was not luxurious but it had a comfortable
feel. Chief gradually got to know his good patrons and treated us well.
Unfortunately, Chief’s was also an inviting establishment for robbers with
guns. It was robbed several times during the two years that I lived on that
block. However, Chief also had a gun (hand gun) to protect himself and his
customers, although I am very happy that I never witnessed him using that gun.
My good friend from Jamaica RG practically ate all his meals at Chief’s and he
was also lucky enough to not witness any crimes while there. However, there
were gunshots in that bar at least once during the two years that I lived in
that neighborhood. My friends and I advised Pat to not sample the atmosphere
and food of Chief’s and she followed our advice. Thinking back now I believe
she would have enjoyed Chief’s ambience very much, but is was wise for her to
stay safe.
Bill – Of course, we occasionally visited some other bars
closer to the Pitt campus. However, The Luna and Chief’s were surprisingly
important establishments for Pat and I when we lived in that North Craig Street
neighborhood many years ago. I think it would be interesting to check out
Chief’s and The Luna some time when we are in the Pittsburgh area. However, I
suppose both those establishments are long gone. It’s probably best if we just
think of that neighborhood as remaining the way it was back in the day, when we
were young and eager to experience life in the future. I hope your life in the
present is as fulfilling as mine.
Take care,
No comments:
Post a Comment