Background: Madeline Chambers and I lived on the same street, at different ends. We knew of each other, but never knew each other until we got acquainted at our 40th class reunion in Galveston. Little did we know that our parents, specifically our fathers traveled in the same realm at times. Had we known....we might have been friends much earlier. This is about our fathers....
Tying his bow tie in front of the mirror, Bill looks around at Faye. “ Are you sure you don’t want to go…just for the first set? We’ll start around eight, won’t be that late.”
“ I’ll pass, I have papers to grade, I hate driving to Galveston late to pick you up, even when it’s not a Saturday night. And it is always so crazy to find a place to park down there by the Balinese anyway.”
“There are no big names tonight….”
“Parking is still imposible and it is still a Saturday night!”
Jan walks in to the room. “Daddy where are you going?…to play your trombone? Can I go?”
“Not tonight Sugar. Mom has papers to grade…I won’t get home until late anyway.”
“Can I hold your music for you?”, she says picking up the brief case.
“Sure.” He pulls the trombone case from the closet and looks at Faye,
“ Are you sure….it's the Balinese?” She smiles and goes into the other room.
Jan and Bill walk out of the house to the car. He opens the car door and slips the trombone case behind the front seat in the floorboard. Jan hands him the briefcase.
“ I really want to go. I love to hear you play…..it makes me want to dance,” she says as she suddenly twirls around in the cold damp air.
“Me too Janny, you can go another time. Don’t bother Mom she has papers to grade.”
He gets in, closes the door, and starts the car. Jan backs away from the car so he can see her, as she has always been told to do. As he backs out, she stands smiling and waving. He rolls down the window, “Next time, I promise! Go inside and get warm!”
He rolls the window back up. The humid winter wind rolling in off the bay always chills to the bone. As he drives down Pin Oak Drive, Walt Chambers is getting out of his car with flowers. Hmm…they must have a special night planned, Bill thought to himself. He waves and turns the corner heading out of the the neighborhood.
Madeline sits watching her mother get ready. She loves it when her mom wears her prettiest dress. Her fur coat is lying over the bedroom chair. Madeline softly caresses the fur, then rubs her cheek across the fur. She loves special nights. Moonlight Serenade is playing softly on the radio in the background. She hears the door open….."Daddy!” she calls and runs to the living room.
Madeline bounces into the room as Walt walks into the house,
“Pearl are you almost ready? Remember early dinner reservations.” Smiling he lays the flowers on the table, and reaches out to give Madeline a hug, she grabs his hands and says,
“Pearl are you almost ready? Remember early dinner reservations.” Smiling he lays the flowers on the table, and reaches out to give Madeline a hug, she grabs his hands and says,
“Daddy lets dance!” she puts her feet on his. He smiles and they sway to Glenn Millers sweet serenade. “Are you and Mommy going to dance tonight?”
“Yes we are hun. We’re going to dinner and dancing at the Balinese Room. Pearl are you ready?” he calls. Just then Pearl appears in the doorway, her fur coat dropped slightly off her shoulders.
“Wow are you ever ready!”
“She has on her special, beautiful dress and her fur, Daddy…just for you!” He swings Madeline up into his arms and presses a kiss on her cheek, then pulls Pearl into his arms to give her a kiss too.
“I sure have a couple of beautiful girls! he says setting Madeline down.
He shows Pearl the flowers, “ For our special night …” She grins as he carefully takes the wrist corsage out of the box and slips it over her hand. She leans toward him and pecks him on the cheek. Little brother Paul peeks around the corner,
“Where are you going?” He had already been playing a game with the sitter in the den.
“Mommy and I are going out for dinner and dancing.” Pearl picks up her clutch and says,
“Ready, to go! Madeline, you and Paul do what Emma asks you to do. Have fun!”
Walt opens the door as he and Pearl walk out hand and hand.
Later at the Balinese......
The Orchestra begins to ramp it up with Boogie Woogie made famous by Glenn Miller and the Dorsey brothers. The trombones stand up to play and the place begins to hop. Bill is in his element, he would love to have this gig full-time. Carbide pays better…..this is just a weekend dream. The club is pretty full for a night with no headliners….just the orchestra. The music is always top notch.
As Bill glances across the club, he sees Walt take Pearl by the hand to dance. They gaze at each other as he walks her to the dance floor. How he wishes Faye liked to dance……
About the Balinese Room.
Everyone who grew up on the Gulf Coast in the 40s and 50s knew or had heard stories about the Balinese Room. It was on a pier off the Galveston Seawall. Exotic, mysterious, famous, and notorious for the things that went on there. Illegal activities like liquor and gambling when neither were legal were legendary. In many ways it was like Vegas before Vegas became what it is today.
