Pershing

My next installment was going to be dedicated to Laclede Town. I wasn’t thinking there was a whole lot I could have observed before I was six years old. Then I started thinking and memories started flooding in. I now realize this is going to take quite a bit of research.

Before I lived in Laclede Town I lived in the Skinker-Debaliviere neighborhood. There was a thriving Beat/Burlesque scene happening. I actually remember a lot of it so I’ll come back to this subject later.

In the meantime I’d like to go through my transition from my Wuxtry days to the Broadway Oyster Bar in the 80s.

Between 1980 and 1983 I lived in a huge six family flat on Pershing behind Talayna’s. I lived there with my girlfriend Pam and another couple, Kent and Sherry.

These were the days before cable television had come to the city. It was already in the county however. Across the street (Skinker) was University City. We’d go to Blueberry Hill to watch MTV and believe me in their first year it was good television.

Kent turned me on to a few new bands including Nigerian Juju rocker King Sunny Ade and early U2. I wasn’t crazy about hair styles at this time but I loved the music. I had finally cut my hair myself. Now my hair is long again!

One afternoon Pam called me at Wuxtry. She was hysterical and in tears. The police had barged into our house with a warrant. She said the house was full of cops and they were tearing the place apart.

Kent had been bartending at a popular Clayton bar that featured live music and sports on a big screen TV. An undercover agent spent 6 months getting to know Kent.

Apparently the agent asked Kent to score some cocaine for him. This actually was not such an easy thing for Kent to do. The charges were finally for Sports gambling and sale of an imitation controlled substance. I don’t think Kent really knew the person he bought it from, he was just doing a favor for a friend. At the trial I believe the cop apologized to Kent.

All charges were dropped but in the meantime there was a great fund raiser. Everyone showed up and we all had a blast.

Anyway it was a big scandal and Kent lost his job. The funny thing was I had 4 hits of LSD in the freezer the raid had missed.

Kent went on to own his own very successful bar and is currently involved in some off-shore venture. Nothing ever could keep him down.

In 1982 I lost my job at Wuxtry. Dan Holt had a beautiful wedding at Forest Park’s Jewel Box and moved to L.A. to become a movie makeup artist.

I applied for a job at the Broadway Oyster Bar. Soulard entrepreneur and legend Bob Burkhardt had just sold it to a couple that became good friends of mine, Dennis and DJ. I’ll print their last names after I get permission. I think Dennis knew my dad as a poker buddy. My band used to go in for beer after rehearsals.

It has just been pointed out to me that my blog would be better if my entries were shorter. Any feedback on this would be greatly appreciated. I’m juggling historical accuracy and personal impressions but I’d like it to be entertaining.