Tomboy (Part One of Six)

Saturday, June 7, 1930

Somewhere in this country there is a depression going on, but not on Santa Catalina Island. Everyone here, rich and poor alike, is having a grand time this weekend. All of Avalon's hotels are full to overflowing and the new Avalon Casino is jumping with Sheilas and Sheiks who one might suspect were a trifle ossified if prohibition were not the law of the land, especially at William Wrigley's grand pleasure palace. The most intoxicating items served at the casino's Marine Bar are the maraschino cherries topping their Neptune Sundaes. It's a soda fountain, for cryin' out loud!

On the other hand, Wrigley has some good reasons for running a tight ship. For one, his Avalon Casino is the only dance venue in the county approved by the Los Angeles Unified School District for their teachers to attend. That honor is due to several factors, including a strictly enforced dress code requiring gentlemen to wear ties and sport coats, both of which may be rented at the ballroom entrance by those who are ill-prepared.

Another cause for the casino's high rating with the school district is an even more strictly enforced dance code. I've heard it said that the ballroom manager actually walks around the dancefloor with a stick to measure the space between men and women dancers.

These and other fascinating peculiarities about the Avalon Casino are the reasons I was on the island with Los Angeles Times photog, Nettie Brewer. Our boss, Times Publisher, Harry Chandler, is a firm believer in downplaying negative news and shouting the happy news from the rooftop. The Avalon Casino and Catalina in general were about the happiest news around these days, so off we went aboard the Great White Steamer, SS Catalina, on an all expense-paid weekend to write happy words and snap happy pictures of happy people being happy on Wrigley's happy island.

Most reporters would jump at such an opportunity, and so would I, except for one small detail—a detail that goes by the name of Nettie Brewer. Now, before I say anything else about Nettie, I need to tell you she is a very talented photographer. Proof of that is found in the fact she is the only woman on the Times' photo staff. For that matter, Nettie is one of only two or three full-time women news photogs on the west coast. Now, having said that, I will say working with Nettie is just about my least favorite thing to do.

Nettie's problem, or more accurately, my problem with Nettie is that she is a consummate tomboy. Worse, she doesn't come by that quality naturally. I don't know what makes her think she needs to act like a guy to get along with guys, but she works at it constantly. Nettie is always talking about guy things, like sports, and she tells a lot of guy jokes, some of which are quite risqué.

She is so intent on behaving like a guy, it would not surprise me in the least to see her coming out of the men's room. I feel duty bound to also say I have seen no indications that Nettie is lavender. She clearly prefers the company of male employees at the Times to females.

To Be Continued

This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, locations, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

Story, design, and modern Catalina image © Steve Eitzen
Header Graphic & HPO Logo © HPO Productions
Character photos © 123RF used under license