The train arrived at Grand Central Station in the morning and I was in New York City at last.

After finishing my tour of duty in Japan, I had re-enlisted in the army and was on my way to Germany. So after a 3-day train ride, I was ready to get off the train. I was able to find the U.S.O. club and check my baggage. I had a weekend to spend in the "Big Apple" and was excited. Then I had to check in with the army and get ready to be processed for shipment to Germany.

I had lunch at the snack bar in the USO and was looking around (at the cute studs) when a lady working at an information desk asked me if I wanted to see a Broadway play. Of course I did!

When I asked the name of the play, she told me that the USO had a few tickets for servicemen to watch the play “OKLAHOMA!” It was a musical that I had read about in the Stars and Strips. This was in l947 and I was given a ticket to watch the original production of that musical. What a thrill for me!

I was l9 at the time, a cute red head with a nice slender, muscular body, a big smile, I was butch and since I was raised in a rough neighborhood, I could take care of myself.

I found the theater and was ushered to a seat just as the curtain went up. I had never seen anything like this in my young life. I was enchanted. The cast consisted of cute cowboys in those tight jeans and lots of cute cowgirls to sing and dance with them. I was in heaven!

The theater would give free tickets away to servicemen, to fill up the theater when they had empty seats. Almost always these seats were single seats since the other seats were sold out in the row. I was alone and got lost in the wonderful music and acting.

When the play was over I could not believe it; I wanted them to do everything all over again! This was my first Broadway play and I have always remembered it. The theater patrons were filing out and me along with them. When I got outside I found that it was raining very hard. I had no place to go, so I just stood there, watching the people scurrying by.

Another soldier came out of the theater and stood beside me. We started talking about seeing the play, and how much we enjoyed it. I found out that he was in the city for the weekend and, like me, had no place to go. We went back to the USO club and I invited him for a cup of coffee. As we were having our coffee, I checked this stud out. He was beautiful!

He must have been late since he was in the army, but he looked much younger. He had the cute cherub look, just like an angel! His name was Mike and he was from a ranch in Texas. He did not act gay, but he was too cute to be completely straight. I did not want to rush him, so we spent the rest of the afternoon together and enjoyed each other. I asked him where he was going to spend the night; he did not know since this was his first time in New York City. We