At the end of August 1962, my life-long friend, Mike Friedman and I hitchhiked from Walla Walla to New York City. From the edge of Walla Walla, with a sign made by my father, " New York or Bust", 44 rides and 4.5 days, late, we were on the Station Island Ferry, into NYC.
For two weeks we had a wild time for young men raised in a conservative way by our parents, in Walla Walla. The Peppermint Lounge, Joey Dee and the Starlighters, the Twist, Palisades Park, Greenwich Village, including The Bitter End, the Cafe Why, and across the street, the Cafe Why Not, the rough part of the Bronx, and other NYC experiences, not to be shared in mixed company.
We did not know how we would get from NYC to Europe. Then, my father went to the Walla Walla Farmers Co-op and through a friend, arranged for us to meet his Brother-in-Law, who was the CEO of Routed Through Pack (RTP). RTP operated S4 Freighters, along the East Coast, picking up and carrying military cargo to Bremerhaven, Germany.
When we arrived in Bremerhaven, we immediately traveled, by train, to Copenhagen. After a great three weeks, we headed South to the Octoberfest in Munchen, Germany, shared below. And we did visit every dimension of the Octoberfest, thoroughly!
Just after we arrived in Munchen, in October, the Cuban Missile Crises, for thirteen days, consumed the consciousness of many Members of our Human Family. The planes were full and most everyone was afraid that there would be war.
After several hours of trying to reach my father, we were finally able to speak. This what he said, as best that I can remember," Son, if they are going to fight, it will happen, before you can get home. You have worked hard for the money to spend a year in Europe. Keep going. In the end, I do not believe they will fight."
With my father and mother's support, I "kept going" and did not return to Walla Walla until June 1963, just in time, for my job, as a Flume-Man at the Birds Eye Frozen Food Plant. I had been doing this job since I was 16.
This time is more serious than 1962, but like my father, I do not believe that there will be all out Global War, yet. But sometimes, I have found that you think you are dead right and you are dead! And sometimes, you think you are dead wrong and you are dead right! We soon will see! If there is going to a response, publically, it will happen soon.