Crime and Me

My life in crime started way back when.  I don't remember how old I was but I think it was about the time  I started to  notice girls. Especially the girl who lived a few houses up on my street.  And she knew I noticed her because I would look at her a certain way.  In those days I was beginning to be a kibbitser and was a little bold.  And I did that because of how she walked and  how she wore her low cut dresses, or revealing tops.. This was not the routine way girls wore their clothes in those days. Anyway I was at the corner drug store waiting for someone to get a phone call.  When they did  I would go 'call them to the phone', for which I would  get  a tip.  Maybe a nickel or an occasional dime.. 

Ultimate price

On this day I wanted to go to the movies.    They were having burlesque as part of the show, and this was the way I would get the money for admission.  And there were  no restrictions applying to me because of my age.  (see below)But today was a bad day for phone calls and I was about to leave the store when a call came in for that lady who  lived a little up the block. I ran to her house and knocked on the door and waited.  Jeez, maybe nobody was home.  I was leaving, already on the top step of her stoop, when I heard a noise from behind the door which then opened and there she was.  I didn't even see her face.  She was wearing a kimono which is like a negligee, I think.  But you cant see through it.  No matter, she was buttoning it up from the bottom and she still had four or five buttons to go. Wow.  I told her about the phone call and I could tell by the look in her face she might not have a nickel for me. I don't remember the words I used but I quickly told her no tip was necessary. She swooped me into her bosom with a bear hug.  Wow again. Worth way more than a nickel or dime. 

But that was that, she went to the drug store and I went to the Cross Keys Theater on Market street to try to find a way to see the movie and special show.  I went to the back of the building looking for a way to get in.  One of the exit doors was about a quarter inch away from flat against the building.  I found a popsicle stick and used it so it would push against the latch, which I pushed until it clicked back against the door.  

Then I moved the door out until it reached an unclosed position and I held it that way by pushing the popsicle stick across the bottom of the latch. Pressure from the door held it in place and kept the lock from 'clicking'.   Eureka!  (O Boy!! Movies in the future.)


From the seats she looked naked.

The rest was easy. I could hear the 'news' was on so I waited for it to finish and  I went in during an ad change over.  It became rare for this not to work and it was even rarer to get caught.  Anyhow, if you did get caught they just threw you out.  I saw all the latest movies that way and usually had a nickel or dime for refreshments.. But then, that first day was special, because it was burlesque day, with live theatre, featuring Sally Rand and her Fan.  (If you look closely, Sally is dressed in a skin-like dress, but from a seat in the audience she appears to be nude.) 
Wow, Wow, Wow.





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