It was 42 years ago today...

My mom just sent me this email about the blackout of 1965 in NYC... It really struck me so I thought I would share it...

************************************************************************************************************************



On this date (42 years ago) I was just shy of turning 19. I had started dating your father the summer of '65, and began working for R & Sons 6/23/65. Dating husband #1 and working for husband #2. You can't make these things up (!)

My hours were 9 to 5:30 and I was just coming out of the ladies room (5:27 pm) to get ready to leave, when the corridor turned black. I walked back to the secretarial area where Yvonne C., (African American and the Office Manager at the time, woman in her 40's) was getting ready to leave also. All three Rs were already out, also Jon M. was out. The only ones there at 9 East 41st Street, 11th floor were Yvonne, an attorney named Eddie C. (Irish) and I. We thought it was just something "freaky", and went to the corner office, where we began to see all of the lights in the buildings go out all around us. The only lights were the lights from passing cars. Nothing else. It was getting close to 6 pm, and Eddie suggested we go out to the elevators, and sit. There was nothing more to do. The elevators were not running, and we could hear people trapped inside. Phones were not working also. Soo, we sat around, Eddie always reassuring us, telling us jokes, etc. We finally heard firemen on the stairwells, and they yelled up for us to stay put. Two hours later, we were finally led down the stairwell by these enormous-looking firemen.

When we got down to street -- oh, my God -- so many people walking, talking, asking people questions, it was crowded. Eddie suggested we walk to Grand Central to see if the LIRR was running, since Yvonne lived on Long Island. When we got to Grand Central (42nd and Park/Lex) we learned that there were no trains (of course!) At this point it was getting near 8 o'cloc and Eddie suggested we try to eat and maybe have a drink. I was only 18 years old and I didn't drink. We walked over to Fifth Avenue, and just walked around, the restaurants that WERE open looked so pretty, with candles everywhere, and the pubs too (there were pubs and restaurants on Fifth). But nobody had a table for us. At some point, Ed said that we really needed two things: a place for Yvonne and me to sleep, and something to eat.

I was feeling excited (and also nervous) d uring all this............I was used to going to 111 Street and sleeping in my own bed, and I was also worried for Tata, who was still working. Anyhow, Eddie took us to a Hotel (I want to say Algonquin, but I think it was another one starting with an "A") on Lexington Ave., he spoke with the front desk, and explained the situation (I also didn't have a lot of money, probably five bucks on me -- I was bringing home $68 dollars a week,giving mom $15 of it). Anyhow, we were soo lucky beause they had two single rooms left and Eddie snapped them up for us. We were so happy.

We then walked over to the dining room which was crowded but were were lucky again, and got a small table. I felt very nervous, I had never had dinner with a lawyer before, or even with Yvonne. they did most of the talking, I just ate my food and listened. When it was time to turn in, it was almost 11 o'clock or maybe even later. A hotel employee took us up the stairs (no elevator) by candlelight, and we walked over to one room (I forget the #) and Yvonne popped in and said goodnight. Then we walked to my room and it felt like I was half a mile away from Yvonne, walking down a very long corridor, turning right, etc. I was let into the room and said goodnight to Eddie and the fellow. I could not see anything in front of me, but I knew where the small twin bed was and I just plopped on it with all my clothes on.

I tried and tried to fall asleep, pero yo era muchacha de mi casa and I had never felt so totally on my own before. I was not a happy camper. Sometime around 12:30 or so, I couldn't stand it, I got out of bed, pulled the mattress off it, and opened the door. I dragged the mattress all the way down to Yvonne's room and knocked on the door, waking h er up, etc. I was almost in tears at this point, and she was nice enough to let me put the mattress on the floor next to her bed and I laid down to sleep. Sometime after three o'clock or thereabouts, all the lights in the room turned back on..............the Blackout of 1965 was over. We talked for a couple of minutes, turned off the lights and slept until we woke up around 7 or so , I don't remember. Yvonne showered quickly and we left the room. We said goodbye somewhere near Grand Central, since I was going to take the train up to 111 Street, shower and change, and come back down to work. Yvonne had money, and was going to buy and outfit somewhere, and go into the office.

I got home around 8:30 or so, mom was there ........I don't remember how she got home,she may have been lucky to get home most of the way or all of the way by train)....maybe she walked 10-15 blocks, I really don't remember. Anyhow, she was fine, and happy to see I was okay (as an aside,your aunt at that point was living in a hotel, dealing drugs with a friend, coming home sporadically)....It was just me and mom, and it remained that way til she died. When aunt moved back to NY with this poor 15-yr-old skinny boy, mom's happy days ended for good.

Anyhow, I got to work around 10 o'clock, and -- would you believe it? -- S. chastised me for being late!!!

And I remember well how the birth rate went up nine months later.

Your mother made it through the blackout well, even though her boss yelled at her.

I was 16 at the time, and -- happily -- in Chicago. But my family had vacationed in New York that summer.

I also recall the Time magazine cover at the time. It showed a dark New York City.