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I spotted the girl, not very tall, walking next to a tall, blonde boy, probably younger than her, driving down 5th Ave., New York, the roof down on my white Dodge Dart Convertible. In the pedestrian crossing, between Rockefeller Centre and St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. It was a few days after my 27th birthday. I had driven my car clear across the entire United States -- an excuse for meeting Mogens Iuel Kraft, my study friend from University. He ``sort of had not looked at the map'' and asked whether I could pick him up from the Norwegian-American Line when he arrived in New York. After driving through Central Park, where that year's Christmas Photo was taken of me, he remarked: I know these tow ``kids'': they were on the boat. So: ``honk-honk'', get on board. And, as I usually tell the tale, for a tale it is, 24 hours later Frederik was eliminated. Kari was to work ``in the house'' for a family in one of those posh apartments on outer Broadway, near Presidio Heights, in San Francisco. So I generously offered to drive her from door to door. The first was that of her uncle's on State Island, and he decided that I was a clear risk: Greyhound was deemed a better way! I was, however, allowed to bring her huge trunk and a pair of skis. They was encased in a finely crafted wooden case: long, but fitted nicely between the from bucket leather seats of the car.
Kari can tell her story of here rather unpleasant bus ride: men accosting her on the bus. Her anxious moments of waiting in Womens loos at various depots across the country: as a young, unattached single woman was not the way to travel. Some nuts kept writing here many months after -- Kari having gullibly given them her address.
But I got my revenge.
I returned to Los Gatos Saturday 24, 1964 and left Kari's luggage at her future home before November. She came up from LA where she had stayed with family to start here job on November 1'st. We started going out soon afterwards. In the winter of 1964/65 and the spring of 1965 I often left work on Wednesday afternoon's: every other whenever the Baerwalds had matiné tickets for the War memorial Opera House for a Symphony concert. Afterwards we went out ``on town''. And then of course week-ends: Up and down twice: Saturdays and Sundays. Whenever she had free. We would go to fancy ars and even more fancy restaurants, to all the best in SF. To entertainment at: ``Bimbo's 365'' on Columbus (with Dinner, Show and Dance), to ``Jazz Workshop'' on Broadway, to ``Scarlett Pimpernel'' and ``Hungri I'' -- where I first heard Tom Lehrer (before kari's time), and to the ``Masonic Hall'' for a concert with Bob Dylan with a surprise full half concert performance with Joan Baez. On the Wednesday's I would write on my office board: Gone Out for a Drink! Unheard of at IBM even in those days. So, people reasoned: He's joking. And the joke was, I was'nt. Kari and I developed our taste for good, well-mixed Cocktails. We also heard a great show one time at Nob Hill's Fairmont Hotel. Afterards we wanted drinks at the Polynesian bar downstairs -- but Kari was not yet 21 or had forgotten her ID card. That also happened at ``Jack's'' in Sacramento Street. A Favourite hangout for late supper after Jazz Workshop etc., also from well before Kari's ``arrival'', was Vanessi's. An Italian restaurant and counter place on Broadway.
Kari was introduced, already, I believe it was, in November 1964, to Grace and Harvey. And Grace, bless her always cheerful soul, phoned me some days later: urging me on, saying: She has poise. And thus it was that she put words to one of the many things that increasingly bound me to Kari.
Friday April 9, 1965, I had arranged to meet Kari after work. And I had decided to propose that evening. As the story goes: It was a blistering rain storm, the water swept the Golden Gate bridge as we were driving north, ostensibly to have dinner at Ondine's, then the very best Sausalito restaurants, and one of the very best in the entire Bay Area, SF included. I proposed on the center span of the Bridge, the rain puring down, and she got the choice to jump or to jump: Into marriage or into the Bay. Her reply: Yes, thanks. So I turned the car, the Dodge Dart white convertible with red leather interior, two door and front bucket seats, around on the center span -- possible in those days, but not allowed, and possible that night due to our being the only one out in the very windy weather. A table waited for us at Trader Vic's. Hans, the Maitre d', was delighted and we sat in the Captains room, the room of the SF socialites. Hans congratulated the Mademoiselle to a splendid choice and an even more splendid future. So right he was ! After the dinner and before going out to Jazz Workshop Kari called home: The next day was her mother's birthday -- and here in SF in the evening next day was then ! Sonja asked: Must you get married. More than two years later she was still querying Kari as to whether we were planning children ?
The Engagement was Easter Sunday, April 18. Kari had gotten my finger size and ordered rings for us at Lindemann's, recommended to us by Mrs. Baerwald, on Union Square. I fetched Kari at SF and brought her down the day before from SF. I was still sharing 101 Oak Rim Court with Svend. And it took ages before he discovered the rings that we put on just before Lunch. Most shops, Safeway included, were closed for the day and we had not shopped the day before. So Sunday morning we hunted for food for lunch and ended up getting three deep-frozen T-bone steaks at a Los Gatos 7-11. We all three enjoyed the lunch and then we had to tell Svend -- shove our ``ring-studded'' fists almost in his face. The afternoon Kari and I drove down to Big basin Natl. (or is it State) Park (?). In Fenton we bought, at a discount from US $ 25 to 20, the Sequoia Root that now adorns the wall above our fire place. The German origin lady owner were almost in joyous tears hearing of our engagement -- in German from us, hence the 20% discount ! In the eving Kari and I had dinner at Ernie's: Belgian Endives -- ``freshly flown in'' from Europe, so they claimed, for entry salad. Sweetbreads, and the rest I have forgotten.
Dines Bjorner 2010-06-01