Title: Maiden Voyage 3

RivermenandRiverboats > Mazie Krebs Introduction > Mazie Krebs

Go to subcategory： Introduction To This Site—— IntroductionInformation On Other Riverboats—— Information On Other Riverboats 2Streckfus Steamers—— Streckfus Steamers IntroMazie Krebs Introduction—— Mazie KrebsThe Streckfus Brothers Introduction—— The Streckfus BrothersEarly Steamboat Days—— Early Steamboat DaysDay Of Wreckoning—— Day Of WreckoningWood To Fuel Oil—— Wood To Fuel OilMary Greene—— Mary GreeneBelle of Louisville—— Belle of LouisvilleCaptain Donald J. Sanders—— Captain Donald J. SandersJohn Hartford Tribute—— John Hartford TributeCheyenneCheyenne—— CheyenneCheyenneTommy Towboater—— Tommy TowboaterInfo On Cornelius McGee—— Info On Cornelius McGeeTidbits Of Information I & II—— Tidbits Of Information I & IICalliopes—— CalliopesFultons Folly—— Fultons FollyIf Twain Came Back—— If Twain Came BackTwains Degree—— Twains DegreeQuotes—— QuotesTwain As A Pilot—— Twain As A PilotSteamboat Pilots—— Steamboat PilotsPoints Of Interest—— Points Of InterestThe Super Flood 1937 ~Paducah~—— The Super Flood 1937 ~Paducah~The Ohio River In 1937—— The Ohio River In 1937Olde Saying—— Olde SayingMisselhornSketches—— MisselhornSketchesWrights On The Ohio River—— Wrights On The Ohio RiverFlatboats—— FlatboatsBio. Sketch-Jacob Von Scyster—— Bio. Sketch-Jacob Von ScysterShanty Boats—— Shanty BoatsGenealogy Tidbits—— Genealogy TidbitsGenealogy Of Conrad McGee—— Genealogy Of Conrad McGee††Obituaries††—— ObituariesInteresting Books—— Interesting BooksGeneral—— General DiscussionCategory

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Fiddlinsue

Rank：none Score：220 Posts：220 From：USA Register：11/11/2008 8:17 AM

Date Posted：12/08/2008 7:30 AMCopy HTML "She could have brained somebody," Ray exclaimed. His discarded cigarette sparked across the deck. Captain John Streckfus, a stocky man, stared at the puddle of champagne, then nudged the broken bottle with his white shoe, examining his deck for damage. Ray shook his head. "What's eating that woman, anyway?" Streckfus pulled a kerchief from his blazer pocket. As he cleaned his glasses, he squinted at the approaching storm. Ray spread his arms behind him along the rail. His wide tie fluttered in the wind. Streckfus stared up at the bluff, now receding off the port strern. "I think my flagship has just been christened," he chuckled, "and ahead of time." "Listen, Mazie is driving me nuts," Ray blurted. "I told her we'd play her up plenty big as the designer. I showed her the layout of the plaque we are having made with her in the citation. Told her we'll mount it on the damned bulkhead, if she wants." The Captain stared over his glasses at the brash, young President of the Advertising Club of St. Louis. "And her reaction?" Ray Maxwell took a deep breath. "She changed the type- face from a nice script to san serif." On Wednesday afternoon, June 12, the fifth consecutive day of high humidity and scorching heat, Ray Maxwell dressed as cicadas screamed in the trees outside his open window. That was bad news for a man who would spend the next twelve hours in a wool suit. But once Ray got to the Washington Street Dock, he would hold court at the bar on the air-conditioned B deck of the Admiral. This affair with the St. Louis social set was to be an evening cruise. Wednesday was chosen because the rapid German invasion of Europe had cast an uneasy pall on celebrations. Besides, even the coal yards, grain elevators and chemical plants on the grimy East St. Louis side of the Mississippi looked romantic at night. Ray's agency had decided to award an eleven-year old boy the first ticket. Sprays of orchids grown in Forest Park's Jewel Box would adorn the head tables. And Ray Maxwell would have the first dance with the beautiful, twenty-year-old Marie Kantjanis. Captain Streckfus met Mazie at the gangplank. A large gray boa was draped over her peach dress with Joan Crawford shoulder pads. A vertical arrangement of small flowers crowned her head. "Miss Krebs," he said, offering her his arm as the flash bulbs snapped, "you look like your own daughter." "Merci, mon Capitan," Mazie smiled. "But if I had a daughter, I would forbid her to wear this dress." Streckfus led her along the main deck, past the untried merry-go-round and the partially uninstalled coin operated games, and a wooden cow, which would eventually dispense chocolate milk. "Not many kids tonight," the Captain explained. "But this deck will be crammed with them come the weekend." Except for the two giant rods that turned the side wheels; Mazie didn't much care for the eclectic "amusement deck." She had left that part of the design to a series of local vendors who knew how to cater to the tastes of children. They went up the stairs, Streckfus pushed back the double blue doors and they stepped into the cool ballroom. On the bandstand, Ken Moore and his eighteen Haymakers were playing a run through of "I Only Have Eyes For You." They made a nostalgic echo in the vast oval dance floor. As Streckfus led her to the Captain's table, someone touched her shoulder. "Hi Maze." Buddy Aufberg, a reporter for the St. Louis Star Times held a bottle of Griesedieck in one hand and an orchid in the other. Buddy offered the orchid which he had plucked from the table arrangement. She raised up on her toes to kiss him on the cheek. "Listen sweetie," he said, "I can't stay for that dance you promised me. We're working on a big story for the morning edition. But believe me, I'd rather be here. Tell you what--if we get the story to bed, I'll get out to the Admiral, even if I have to take a canoe." "A promise is a promise," she said, taking a swig from his beer bottle before leading him to the dance floor. She tossed the boa onto the table. The Haymakers had swung into "St. Louis Blues," so Buddy spun her out, her skirt an inverted peach blossom in the cool light. He was delighted that her dress had no back whatsoever. She threw her head back and gazed at the reflective zodiac signs she had in- stalled around the ballroom ceiling. If you danced in a circle, ballroom style, the signs always changed. Onto Page 4 No part of this story is to leave this site under any circumstance. It is used with permission from the writer, Al Gowan. Thanks Al.  ©Maiden Voyage. Backgrounds and images created by me (©Fiddlinsue). Background html code was provided by Liz from Beyond the Horizon. Thanks Liz. Image is from ©image-cafe.net.