I believe this is a recollection of the poolroom you are referring to. It was certainly at Grand and Olive. In the early ‘70’s, I was at a convention in St. Louis held at a nearby hotel. (Chase Park Plaza?) I decided to go over and see this famous poolroom. The neighborhood had gone downhill, and several buildings in the area had been demolished. The room itself was upstairs. I walked up the steps and went in. The room had, for Goodness’ sake, a TURNSTYLE! I guess at one time it must have been so popular that at some times they charged admission, or at least wanted to keep count of how many people were in the room. The day that I was there, there were only about three elderly people in the room, draped over the counter and talking with one another. I think that shortly after my visit the building was torn down and the space taken over by St. Louis University.
As I was coming out of the room, a panhandler wearing a heavy topcoat, for it was just before January 1, came up to me and asked me if I would give him 25 cents so he could get a drink. I looked at him and said, “You can’t get a drink for 25 cents.” He shrugged his shoulders and said, “Yeah, but if I get 25 cents from you and 25 cents from another two guys, I can get a drink.” I was stunned by the honesty. I dug out a five-dollar bill, with which he could get several drinks, and gave it to him. In those days, when I wasn’t at home, I smoked cigars. I had about five fairly high quality ones in my breast coat pocket. (In those days they weren’t as expensive as they are now.) I asked the panhandler if he liked cigars. He said he did. I gave him three cigars and wished him a Happy New Year. I guess I’m guilty of enabling, but “many have entertained angels unawares.”
