Poem: "In the Brevoort Hotel..." (by Mitch Sisskind)

I have always loved hotels and my time as night desk clerk at the Belden-Stratford Hotel in Chicago was a wonderful gift.

In the Brevoort Hotel
He met Helene Shrubbie.
In the Dorchester Arms,
Orly Samelius was his girl.
In the Webster Hotel,
He entered the fur business
With Burt and Eli Aptaker.

What were the names of
His stomping grounds?
The Tiffany Room,
Don the Beachcomber,
The Camellia House,
The Imperial House,
And the Chez Paree.

Flo Doyle was ever in his memory
Linked to the Wellington Arms;
Ruth Diehl and Mary Clemco
To the Carlos Hotel on
North Pulaski where Abe Blinder
(Rhymes with cinder)
Used to roam.

Once with girls on both arms,
He entered the Imperial House.
To Charlotte Hauser he said,
“Let’s get the show on the road.”
To Muriel Demet: “Hey doll,
“You’re looking good tonight.
“What would you like to drink?”

In his heyday he joined
Bryn Mawr Country Club,
The Standard Club and the
Covenant Club but never passed
Up a tryst with Louise Gabiner.
The Liberty Hotel was their
Venue, on the fourth floor.

Similarly, in the Kenard Beach
Apartment Hotel on North Kenmore
He shared a love nest with
May Engberg -- the same one
Who later married Eli Aptaker;
The three of them used to
Get together and laugh about it.

After a number of years, of course,
The fur business collapsed. Farewell!

Comments

[Laura Orem]

Terrific picture and terrific poem. "Flo Doyle" is a great name, too.

[DL]

Nice one, Mitch -- and like LO, I love the photo. Did you take it?

[Chicago Observer]

Yes, I remember your time as a night clerk at the Belden Stratford. There's now a pretty good restaurant there, Mon Ami Gabi (A Lettuce Entertain You). Remember Mel Markon's nearby? It's 8:44 a.m. in Chicago and already I'm getting hungry for a nice spinach and sour cream omelette, thank you very much.