I did not wish to go to university after prep school but my parents being survivours of the Depression anything else was out of the question. I did however work part time in the family business, stock brokerage whilst at university. After graduation I drifted into the stock market full time. Initially I was on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange and later upstairs on the trading desk.

I did this for about 2 years  including going out to California to marry childhood sweetheart.
During this time I had observed the older family generation slowly succumb to the tensions of the race for the golden apple. High blood pressure, ulcers and too much booze on the weekends were taking their toll.

It was Labor Day weekend and the whole family were down at the family compound in Spring Lake, New Jersey, A town similar to Hyannis,Massachusets, for the New York New Jersey Irish lace curtain set.

Penny, my wife, and I spent that whole time discussing our future and 'God Bless Her', she was in agreement about seeking a different path.

Shortly thereafter we packed up our little VW and set off for the San Francisco Bay Area. Penny's folks were there so it was not quite a blind move. On that long drive we discussed just what I might be looking for in the way of a job/future. The country was not exactly booming but the cost of living for us seemed reasonable so the idea of a cut in income was not quite the sacrafice it would be today.

We agreed that I should give working with my hands a try. Boatbuilding had been an interest since I was about 9 years old. I decided that I would seek boatbuilding as a first choice.
On the first business day after settling in, I went down to the Shipwrights Hall in Oakland, California.

The Business Agent was much to the opposite of my preconceived idea, a really nice fellow and very understanding. I was techinically overage for an apprentice, I was 25, but since I had served my active military service that was waived. Remember this was the time of Selective Service. He accepted my application along with $250 for initiation fees. About a week later he called and said he had two interviews for me. One was at W F Stones in Alameda and the other was at Anderson and Christofani's in San Francisco. I first went to Stones and had a pleasant interview with the owner himself. Then it was over to Andersons' in San Francisco. I fell in love with Andersons'. Now both yards had history behind them. Stone's had built some of the first copra schooners and sugar carriers for Matson later to become Matson Steam Navigation. This was at the yards original location, now the site of the St. Francis Yacht Club. Stones' moved to Alameda across the Bay after the San Francisco earthquake of the early 1900's.
Andersons' was the yard that actually built Jack London's yacht after his rummy friends in Oakland conned him for almost a year and did precious little work. I called Stone's and the union to tell them of my choice. W F Stone said that if it did not work out at Andersons' to give him a call!

Now here I be, 25, no manual skills to speak of and I am starting out as a first year or 60% apprentice.

60% means that my pay rate would be 60% of a journeymans or about $1.80 and hour.
Bright and early, 7:AM Monday morning, I reported to A&C and was introduced to the crew by Al Christofani, partner and yard boss. Al was from the North Beach section of San Francisco and the other partner, Walter was from Palo Alto. Comparison would be if Al was from the 'little Italy' section of Greenwich Village, NY., and Walter was from Park Avenue. The yard had been started by Walters' grandfather in the 1800's.

As a 'green pea', I got a good introduction to the broom and moving keel blocks on the marine railways those first weeks. NO tools were allowed in my hands!

It was during the second month and I was helping to set up some staging when the 'Change' came.

Al was a big man, good natured but a shouter. Whenever he wanted somebody he would shout all across the yard. My name was not David or Dave it was 'the kid'. Shoot I was 25 and here I am being called the kid. So I hear, "where's the kid"? I was sweaty, thirsty and my blisters were killing me so I shouted back, "whadya want"?  Again he yelled, "hey kid" and again I yelled "whadya want"?

This time he laughed so hard he got the hiccups. I walked over to him and he patted me on the back and said "you're gonna do alright here". The next day was Friday, pay day. The regulars would stop in at Al's office after work. It was built like the great cabin on an old sailing ship. The joiner work was all Koa and Ash and a beautiful example of the quality of the kind of work the yard could do. I clocked out and picked up my paycheck and as I turned towards the door Al calls out, "is that the kid"?

I called back "yes and I am just leaving". Al came to the doorway of his office and asked me to step in for a moment. There were about 8 fellows in the office. The cream of the crew and salty as all get out.

On the table was a bottle of Old Crow and some paper cups. The crew had cups in their hands and were grinning at me. Al looks me in the eye and says "ya old enough to drink"? I replied that yes I was but that I preferred Seagrams VO and soda. He gave a big laugh and said "well if you can slum with us old farts you are always welcome to drop by on payday".  Oh boy, I was in!

Monday morning he paired me with Alec Davidson. Alec was from the north of Ireland and. Al said "I am putting you with Alec, he knows more about his place and the work we do than anybody but me and I'm not so sure he doesn't know it better than me".
I was in Shipwrights heaven!