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impressions, but what your first impressions of America were?

Yes. I was absolutely horrified. The boat landed in Hoboken. We were met by my uncle, my mother's brother.

From Wheeling?

He lived in Far Hills, New Jersey, at that point. In a truck--I couldn't believe it--and here we were driven into New York City in a truck. Well, the truck turned out to be one of the early station wagons. I'd never seen one. You know with the wooden panel thing. To me, it was a truck. I was trying to practically hide myself inside this truck. We drove, I can clearly remember, we must have gone over the George Washington Bridge. And I can remember looking at the houses, buildings, and being surprised at all the bar relief work up on the 8th or 10th floor of buildings. I still look at some of them, the buildings are still there at 58th Street and 6th or 7th. We came across 58th Street and ended up at the hotel, the Blackstone where we settled in, again, two rooms, me sleeping on the couch in the living room and my mother in the bedroom and sharing one bathroom. We were back to where we started from. [laughs]

What were some of your other early impressions? Maybe about food or the people--

Well, I only spent about four days in New York.