Meet Miss Subways

Today in the pouring rain I went to the New York York Transit Museum which is free for seniors on Wednesdays, so since I'd never been there I thought I would take advantage of the free offer. I told a woman in front of me on the ticket line that its free for seniors today, "Oh but I'm not 62, I know I look 62 or older, but thank you anyway for letting me know." Yikes. Anyway the best thing about the museum are the actual old subway cars from the 1900's and up that line the now defunct Court St. Subway Station that the museum is in. Quite impressive to walk through them, some of them I remember. Yikes again. The other thing that I enjoyed was the Meet Miss Subways exhibit. This contest ran from 1941 until 1976, and there is now a coffee table like book on it. I pursued it looking for a girl who I knew from high school who was actually a finalist in 1965, and there she was. Judith Horowitz a finalist in 1965 one year after we graduated from New Utrecht High School. She didn't win, she wasn't even a runner up, but still there she was looking down on me every time I got on the subway in January 1965. Ah Judy I hope you've had a good life and are still as beautiful as you were at 16. I never really hung out with her, after all she was the most beautiful girl in the school. I thought she was the most beautiful girl in Brooklyn so all I could do was sigh and smile whenever she walked by me in the hall during the changing of classes melting when she said hi to me. she was of course the captain of the cheerleaders, but she wasn't stuck up like many of the JAPS (Jewish American Princesses) who believe me had nothing to be stuck up about. I much preferred the Italian tough girls with their teased hair, short dresses, flamboyant eye make up and their loud laughter who were vulgar and friendly. I guess Judy knew how great looking she was, and felt no need to be stuck up and if she was I never saw it. I actually don't think I ever had a conversation with her, so she might have been an idiot for all I know, but Ah Judy Horowitz you made this rainy day in Brooklyn sunny for me.